Posts by Mark Darwin
K-pop, Chinese games to drive Asia tech sector growth: Macquarie
[SINGAPORE] 2026 is poised to be a boom year for the Asian Internet sector, as companies pivot from consolidation to aggressive monetisation and ecosystem integration. The resurgence follows two challenging years of model building and infrastructure catch-up against Western competitors, analysts from Macquarie noted in a report released recently. The research firm identified 13 top…
Read MoreJapan’s Katayama says all options open on yen, including joint action with US
[TOKYO] Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Friday Tokyo would not rule out any options to counter excessive foreign exchange volatility, including coordinated intervention with the US, as the yen stayed around an 18-month low against the dollar. The yen weakened to as low as 159.45 per dollar this week, its softest level since…
Read MoreSeatrium end-customer gets reprieve after judge rejects Trump’s wind farm ban
The wind farms are collectively worth US$25 billion, according to an offshore wind advocacy group [WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump’s attempts to torpedo offshore wind farms suffered a second blow this week when a federal judge ruled on Thursday (Jan 15) that construction for the US$5 billion Empire Wind project off Long Island in New…
Read MoreMaersk to return to Red Sea as stability improves in region
The opening of one of the world’s busiest transport bottlenecks is set to pressure profit margins amid an oversupply of vessels [OSLO] Danish shipping company Maersk will return to sailing regularly through the Suez Canal this month, as the security situation improves in the Middle East. The voyage marks another step towards normalisation of global…
Read MoreCapitaLand India Trust wins second hyperscaler agreement for data-centre development
The facility has a gross power capacity of 55 MW and is set to be completed by Q4 2026 [SINGAPORE] The trustee-manager of CapitaLand India Trust (Clint) on Thursday (Jan 15) announced that it has secured its second long-term agreement with a global hyperscaler for Tower 2 of CapitaLand DC Navi Mumbai in Airoli, Navi…
Read MoreKeppel bags 720 MW power bank for AI data centre campus near Melbourne
The group is in ‘active discussions with hyperscalers and neoclouds’ on the site’s future capacity [SINGAPORE] Asset manager Keppel on Thursday (Jan 15) announced that it has secured a 720 megawatt (MW) power bank for an artificial intelligence data centre campus close to Melbourne, Australia. The site is located south-east of Melbourne city, within the…
Read MoreChina’s central bank cuts structural interest rates to boost targeted lending
The moves signal targeted adjustments to bolster an economy hit by weak demand and imbalances [BEIJING] China’s central bank will lower interest rates on its structural monetary policy tools by 0.25 percentage points, stepping up targeted support for the economy as it enters 2026. Deputy governor Zou Lan announced on Thursday (Jan 15) during a…
Read MoreLucid set to start manufacturing cars in Saudi Arabia in 2026
The company has also struggled more broadly with profitability and production challenges [RIYADH] Lucid Group is on track with plans to start producing cars in Saudi Arabia as it looks to drive the kingdom’s ambitions to create a domestic auto manufacturing hub and cut down on imports. The electric vehicle (EV) maker, which counts Saudi…
Read MoreChina brokers rebuild ranks, raise pay on dealmaking return
CHINA’S biggest securities firms are back on the offensive after taking a battering over the past few years. Investment banking divisions of major brokerages, including Citic Securities, Huatai Securities and CSC Financial, have in recent months recruited dozens of junior and mid-level bankers, according to sources familiar with the moves, who asked not to be…
Read MoreFirst Sponsor expects net loss for H2, full year 2025 on forex losses
Fair value loss on its financial derivatives is a result of the strengthening of foreign currencies against the Singapore dollar [SINGAPORE] First Sponsor expects to post a net loss for its second half and full year ended Dec 31, 2025. The net loss is mainly due to fair value loss on its financial derivatives as…
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