Posts by Mark Darwin
Ex-mDR group COO Richard Siua charged with criminal breach of trust
FORMER group chief operating officer of mDR Richard Siua, along with Peter Ng, who was a sales director of the company’s subsidiary, were charged with criminal breach of trust offences on Tuesday (Dec 31). Between November 2020 and December 2021, Siua allegedly misappropriated 4,057 mobile devices and accessories valued at more than S$2.5 million, which…
Read MoreChinese toy maker Bloks Group files for up to HK$1.46 billion Hong Kong IPO
BLOKS Group is looking to raise as much as HK$1.46 billion (S$225 million) in a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), as the Chinese toy maker aims to ramp up product development and output while cashing in on the reviving IPO market. Bloks will be selling a total of 24.1 million shares, priced between HK$55.65…
Read MoreSingapore stocks’ showing may hinge on reforms in 2025, but outlook for some sectors look bright
ANALYSTS expect Singapore stocks to outperform and see significant upside in 2025, but there is a caveat: This is likely to happen only if market reforms are put in place to raise their relative valuations. Macquarie analysts expect companies to post an estimated 5 per cent rise in earnings-per-share growth, bringing the benchmark Straits Times…
Read MoreLayoffs and job cuts in Singapore in 2024
RETRENCHMENT and unemployment in Singapore eased in the third quarter, but the current quarter posted some prominent layoffs. From the beverage sector to consumer electronics and e-commerce, here are some of the major job cuts that grabbed headlines this year. Yeo Hiap Seng and Oatly, Singapore, 59 Beverage giant Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo’s) will lay…
Read MoreStocks to watch: OCBC, SingPost, Sembcorp
THE following companies saw new developments that may affect the trading of their securities on Monday (Dec 30):
Read MoreAT&T, Verizon say networks now clear after Salt Typhoon hack
AT&T and Verizon Communications acknowledged that they’d been hit by the China-linked Salt Typhoon hacking operation but that their networks were now clear from the intrusion. The hackers attempted to gain information about foreign intelligence, Dallas-based AT&T said on Saturday (Dec 28). New York City-based Verizon said in a separate statement that “a small number…
Read More10 Singapore stocks to watch in 2025
There is a tinge of excitement in the air as global markets head into 2025. Investors have plenty to keep an eye on, with the return of Donald Trump to the White House expected to fuel volatility even as interest rates ease. Watch these companies in the year ahead, as The Business Times believes they’re…
Read MoreHong Kong IPO market stages comeback after dismal 2023
INVESTORS in the Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese cosmetics firm Mao Geping Cosmetics received an early Christmas present on Dec 10 when the company made its trading debut – the shares rose as much as 92 per cent before closing the day 77 per cent higher. It was the best first-day performance…
Read MoreUS dollar eyes best year in almost a decade
The US dollar is headed for its best year in almost a decade as US economic strength reins in expectations for the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle and president-elect Donald Trump’s threats of harsh tariffs underpin bullish bets on the currency. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose more than 7 per cent so far this year,…
Read MoreUS plans more actions against China over telecom hack
A WHITE House official said on Friday (Dec 27) that the US identified a ninth telecommunications company impacted by a wide-ranging Chinese espionage effort and that further steps are planned to curb cyberattacks from Beijing. As the Biden administration learns about the scope and scale of the so-called Salt Typhoon breach which it attributed to…
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