Posts by Mark Darwin
Pace of SGX delistings may not slow down in 2025: analysts
With 20 delistings in 2024, SGX faces ongoing challenges from low market liquidity, increasing regulatory scrutiny, and the growing appeal of private funding DELISTINGS from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) continued to outpace new listings in 2024, but industry watchers are optimistic that strong global market performance and an ongoing revamp of the local equities market…
Read MoreJapan PM says blocked US Steel deal could hit investments
JAPAN’S Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday (Jan 6) urged Washington to dispel concerns that a decision by Joe Biden to block Nippon Steel’s takeover of US Steel could impact future investments. The US president’s announcement last week cited a strategic need to protect domestic industry, a move that drew sharp criticism from both companies…
Read MoreOCBC says healthcare S-Reits offer defence amid slower rate cuts, names top picks
INVESTORS should consider buying healthcare Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (S-Reits) to strengthen their portfolios, an OCBC Investment Research report has suggested. This is because the healthcare sector offers investors defensiveness against the uncertainty brought about by a second Trump presidency, said OCBC equity research analysts Ada Lim and Donavan Tan in the December report.…
Read MoreJapan’s Nikkei slips more than 1% on 1st trading day of 2025 after year-end rally
Japan’s Nikkei share average slipped more than 1 per cent on the first trading day of 2025 on Monday (Jan 6) as investors sold stocks after the index’s year-end rally, overshadowing gains in chip-related stocks. The Nikkei fell 1.47 per cent to 39,307.05 after opening 0.13 per cent higher. The index gained 4.4 per cent…
Read MoreCredit Suisse’s Ray Farris named Prudential’s first chief economist
CREDIT Suisse veteran Ray Farris has been appointed chief economist of Prudential’s asset management arm, Eastspring Investments, to drive economic analysis and insights for both Eastspring and its parent company. On Monday (Jan 6), Prudential said Farris will be the group’s first chief economist, reporting to Eastspring’s chief investment officer Vis Nayar. Based in Singapore,…
Read MoreNippon Steel could face growth challenges after US Steel purchase blocked: analysts
JAPAN’S Nippon Steel may need to look at a revamp of its growth strategy after US President Joe Biden blocked its proposed US$14.9 billion acquisition of US Steel, but its share price could bounce back in the near-term, analysts said. Shares in Nippon Steel fell only slightly on Monday (Jan 6) in their first trading…
Read MoreChina’s Geely Holding targets over five million units of annual sales by 2027
CHINA’S Geely Holding Group on Sunday (Jan 5) said it aims to sell more than five million vehicles annually by 2027, a big jump from 2023, which it hopes to achieve by accelerating consolidation of its sprawling brands and improving efficiency. The goal represents about 79 per cent growth from 2023, when Geely Holding sold…
Read MoreGold steady as investors await US economic data
GOLD prices held steady on Monday (Jan 6) as investors awaited a slew of US economic data due out this week for guidance on the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate stance. Spot gold was steady at US$2,639.56 per ounce, as at 0034 GMT. US gold futures fell 0.1 per cent to US$2,652.00. Market focus is…
Read MoreSingapore shares close higher on Monday; STI up 0.5%
Across the broader market, gainers barely beat losers 263 to 258 after 945.4 million securities worth S$854.5 million change hands SINGAPORE stocks ended higher on Monday (Jan 6) despite declines across the region amid the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance. The Straits Times Index rose 0.5 per cent or 20.01 points to 3,821.84. Across the broader…
Read MoreWhat if TikTok loses its fight and gets banned in the US?
TIKTOK is barreling towards a nationwide ban in the US. President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation in April 2024 designed to shut down the social media app in the US unless its Chinese owner gives up control. TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, was given until Jan 19, 2025, to find an American buyer and agree to a…
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