Posts by Mark Darwin
US: Stocks end volatile week on muted note
WALL Street stocks finished mixed on Friday (Feb 14) following lacklustre US retail sales data in a muted finale to a volatile week. US retail sales fell 0.9 per cent between December and January to US$723.9 billion, partly due to slumping auto sales. The report missed estimates in the biggest month-on-month decline since early 2023. …
Read MoreInitial MAS review group incentives could pull in regional biotech, fintech players: observers
High-growth companies in the technology, healthcare and sustainability-linked industries are potential entrants, too MARKET watchers believe tax incentives proposed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) equities market review group will appeal to regional companies across a wide range of industries, including biotech, fintech and renewable energy. “Sectors that rely on long-term capital, high-growth equity,…
Read MoreSGX falls 6% as initial MAS review group proposals dampen earlier optimism; Citi downgrades to ‘sell’
The counter could potentially give up much of its gains since unveiling its first-half results CITI Research has downgraded its call on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) to “sell”, and revised its target price to S$11.90, as it expects the recent optimism priced into the counter’s valuation to unwind. Shares of SGX fell more than 6…
Read MoreSGX falls 5.8% as initial MAS review group proposals dampen earlier optimism; Citi downgrades stock to ‘sell’
The counter could potentially give up much of its gains since unveiling its first-half results SHARES of Singapore Exchange (SGX) fell as much as 6.3 per cent or S$0.85 to S$12.62 on Friday (Feb 14) as investors were less than impressed with the initial proposals to revive the equities market. The counter closed at S$12.69,…
Read MoreMaybank upgrades Singtel’s AIS to buy, raises price target on further profit growth expectations
Maybank Securities upgraded Singtel’s Thai associate Advanced Info Service (AIS) to “buy” from “hold”, due to a strong outlook and healthy yields. Its optimism is on the back of expectations for core profit growth of 11 per cent for FY2025, and 4 to 5 per cent dividend yields in FY2025 and FY2026. Maybank also raised…
Read MoreHow to Say ‘I’m Sorry’ at Work and Mean It
Apologizing at work can be tricky. You want to show you’re sorry without looking weak or insecure. It’s important to know when a simple ‘sorry’ is enough and when it’s better to find other ways to make amends. In this article, we’ll explore how to apologize professionally at work, ensuring your words are heartfelt and…
Read MoreUS inflation data hits regional markets; STI up 0.2%
SINGAPORE equities ended Thursday (Feb 13) higher, even as US data – which indicated sticky inflation – hit regional markets. The Straits Times Index (STI) gained 7.96 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 3,882.58. Seatrium led the STI, extending yesterday’s rally to end 10.9 per cent, or S$0.25, higher at S$2.55. Investor sentiment was lifted…
Read MorePension segment and new licence to grow wealth management business: iFast CEO
THE core wealth management business of iFast recovered in 2024, with net inflows of S$3.3 billion compared to S$2 billion the year prior. Gross unit trust subscription increased to S$7.4 billion compared with S$4.5 billion in 2023, and fixed income turnover reached new highs in Q4 2024 of more than S$1 billion over the last…
Read MoreHonda and Nissan say merger talks called off
Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan confirmed on Thursday (Feb 13) they had scrapped merger talks announced in December, ending a tie-up that would have created the world’s third-largest carmaker. The firms said in a joint statement that they “agreed to terminate the MOU (memorandum of understanding) signed on December 23 last year for consideration…
Read MoreJPMorgan, UBS, Nomura face South Korea short-selling fines: report
SOUTH Korea’s financial regulator is imposing fines on JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, UBS Group and Nomura Holdings for allegedly violating the country’s rules on short-selling stocks, the Maeil Business Newspaper reported. South Korean authorities previously announced that they found 14 banks in breach of short-selling rules after launching an investigation in 2023, the report said,…
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