Posts by Mark Darwin
PBOC maintains support for yuan with fix stronger than key level
CHINA reaffirmed its support for the yuan after allowing the currency to slip below a key support level in the last session. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set its daily reference rate stronger than the closely watched line of 7.2 per US dollar. That helped ease concern that Beijing will allow a sharper depreciation,…
Read MoreSingapore hospital operator targets wealthy boomers in China
THE task of providing elderly care for the growing number of Chinese baby boomers may be a headache for Beijing, but a Singaporean hospital operator sees it as an evergreen opportunity. With more than 400 million Chinese set to enter their 60s over the coming decade, Singapore-based Perennial Holdings is betting on sound returns for…
Read MoreMiles reward cards are a lot of trouble, but they may be worth it if you don’t mind the math
If you are willing to dive into the different terms and conditions of these cards to earn higher rewards, richer benefits await I HAVE always relied on credit cards that provide cashback on my purchases. But lately, I noticed that cashback cards I’ve relied on have lost their lustre due to the addition of minimum-spend…
Read MoreSingapore bank earnings to continue riding higher-for-longer rates, wealth sector growth in 2025
SINGAPORE banks will likely post earnings growth in 2025, led by higher-for-longer rates and a strong wealth management business, analysts said. While the growth may be slower than previous years’, analysts expect that the banks’ clear dividend policies should keep them attractive to investors. The banks had a strong showing in 2024, as higher-for-longer rates…
Read MoreOil extends rally as bullish momentum overpowers China woes
Oil extended a rally that has brought it to the highest in more than two months as shrinking US crude stockpiles and a risk-on tone in broader markets overshadowed signs of a misfiring Chinese economy. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed for the fifth straight session, approaching US$74 a barrel and settling at the highest closing…
Read MoreBiden’s decision on US Steel deal followed divide in his orbit
TWO weeks after the US presidential election last November, hundreds of allies gathered at the White House to soothe Joe Biden in defeat. Tracking the closed-door bash for clues was a group rarely interested in the routine preening of Washington: arbitrage traders. The traders, who buy and sell the stock of companies in the middle of mergers…
Read MoreOil heads for weekly gains on colder weather, Chinese policy support
OIL prices rose on Friday (Jan 3), closing the week higher on the back of cold weather in Europe and the US as well as additional economic stimulus flagged by China. Brent crude futures settled 58 cents, or 0.8 per cent, higher at $76.51 a barrel, the highest level since Oct 14. US West Texas…
Read MoreUS: Wall St opens higher as markets await data, policy changes
WALL Street’s main indexes opened higher on Friday (Jan 3), as investors kept a close eye on upcoming economic data and geared up for potential policy shifts under the incoming Trump administration. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 103.5 points, or 0.24 per cent, at the open to 42,495.76. The S&P 500 rose 22.5…
Read MoreRolex kicks off 2025 by hiking watch prices after gold soars
ROLEX, the biggest luxury Swiss watch brand, raised prices on some of its most popular models after gold values surged in 2024. The Geneva-based company, controlled by a Swiss foundation named for its co-founder Hans Wilsdorf, began the year by hiking prices as much as 8 per cent on some models made from precious…
Read MoreCSE Global seeks to dispose US industrial property for US$29.3 million
Technology solutions provider says this would allow it to monetise asset and free up capital to help it expand in America CSE Global’s indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Volta Properties, entered a purchase and sale agreement with Gladstone Commercial on Dec 31 for the proposed disposal of an industrial property in the United States for US$29.3…
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