Posts by Mark Darwin
Europe: Earnings-driven moves take Stoxx 600 to sixth consecutive daily gain
EUROPEAN shares extended gains to a sixth session on Tuesday, with financials giving support following earnings from HSBC and Deutsche Bank, though focus was on how companies are assessing the implications of US tariffs. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index ended 0.36 per cent higher at 525.09 points, with the aerospace and defence index leading gains. Rheinmetall jumped…
Read More“Diamonds in the rough”: New types of M&A players eye smaller SME deals in Singapore, Asean
[SINGAPORE] New types of buyers are emerging for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Unlike traditional private equity (PE) firms, these niche players are open to smaller deals and have longer, flexible investment horizons to find and polish these hidden, diamonds in the rough. SMEs tend to be overlooked in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) space.…
Read MoreUS: S&P 500, Nasdaq open lower as investors eye trade developments, earnings
Published Tue, Apr 29, 2025 · 09:43 PM [NEW YORK] The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq fell at the open on Tuesday (Apr 29), while the Dow was flat as investors assessed a mixed bag of corporate earnings and the latest developments in the US-China trade war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 6.4 points,…
Read MoreIReit Global reports higher committed occupancy and stable leverage for Q1 2025
Committed occupancy is marginally higher due to new leases committed within the Spanish portfolio [Singapore] IReit Global reported 88.7 per cent occupancy rate at the end of Q1 2025, up from 88.5 per cent at the end of Q4 2024, in a business update on Tuesday (Apr 29). The committed occupancy was marginally higher due…
Read MoreBusiness Owner Salary: How Much is Too Much?
As a business owner, figuring out how much to pay yourself can be one of the trickiest decisions you face. It’s a balancing act between ensuring you get compensated for your hard work and keeping your business financially healthy. This article will break down various aspects of business owner pay calculation to help you navigate…
Read MoreChina’s Big Five banks post slimmer margins as economic challenges persist
[SHANGHAI/HONGKONG] China’s Big Five lenders reported narrower margins at the end of the first quarter on Tuesday (Apr 29), as profits fell for some on the slowing economy under the shadow of rising tariffs. As the property sector continues to struggle, developer defaults are also weighing. “In the first quarter of 2025, the global economy…
Read MoreWill ComfortDelGro win the point-to-point 2.0 race against Grab?
[SINGAPORE] Grab’s entry into Singapore’s taxi market is likely to give the leading incumbent ComfortDelGro a run for its money. Studies have shown that people who choose to drive taxis are those who want to devote more time to driving for a living. Private-hire car drivers, on the other hand, are a mix of full-time…
Read MoreIHH Healthcare signs S$300 million sustainability-linked loan with UOB
[SINGAPORE] Integrated healthcare operator IHH Healthcare has signed its first S$300 million sustainability-linked loan with UOB, strengthening its ongoing commitment to add and uphold sustainable practices across its operations. “As a multinational healthcare player touching millions of lives each year, we are proud to advance sustainable financing through this loan,” said Dilip Kadambi, IHH’s group…
Read MoreGoogle parent Alphabet kicks off sale of debut euro bonds
Published Tue, Apr 29, 2025 · 04:33 PM [CALIFORNIA] Google parent Alphabet is looking to raise at least 2.5 billion euros (S$3.72 billion) from a debut euro bond sale on Tuesday (Apr 29), just after selling US$5 billion of debt in the US. The tech company is offering an unusual five-part deal with benchmark sizes…
Read MoreBP reports lower-than-expected profit of US$1.4b
It fell below the US$1.53 billion expected by analysts in a company-provided poll Published Tue, Apr 29, 2025 · 02:43 PM [LONDON] BP missed forecasts on Tuesday (Apr 29) with an underlying replacement cost profit of US$1.38 billion for the first quarter, below the US$1.53 billion expected by analysts in a company-provided poll. BP bought…
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