Posts by Mark Darwin
China 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…
Read MoreBaidu is said to explore upgrading HK listing to primary status
This will help it qualify for cross-border trading, opening up investment flows from the mainland to Hong Kong [HONG KONG] Baidu is considering upgrading its Hong Kong listing to primary status, to gain more exposure to investors in mainland China and protect itself from potentially unfavourable US policies, said sources. The technology company – with…
Read MoreBank of America profit climbs as trading surges in volatile markets
[NEW YORK] Bank of America’s profit rose, as its traders brought in more revenue from spurred client activity in the fourth quarter due to increased volatility in the markets. Softening US labour demand, political gridlock and concerns over a potential AI-driven stock bubble rattled investors, prompting them to reshuffle their portfolios, while speculations about the…
Read MoreScarce landed housing land will entice developers hungry to serve aspiring landed home buyers.
Group’s undervalued share price is unwarranted given its rare landed housing landbank [SINGAPORE] Many affluent Singaporeans aspire to live in private landed homes, the purchase of which is generally restricted to Singapore citizens. Between Q4 2019 and Q4 2025, partly driven by the need for more space in the wake of the Covid pandemic, private…
Read MoreTrump-led US delegation to be largest ever at WEF, as Davos grapples with shaken global order
These business and political elites head to Davos next week with its vision of a rules-based global economic order being tested to the limits ORGANISERS of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos next week said they are expecting the largest US delegation ever, including secretaries for state, treasury, commerce, trade and energy…
Read MoreLow Keng Huat controlling shareholders up offer price to S$0.78 per share, extend closing date
Revised offer represents an increase of 8.3% or S$0.06 over the initial offer price [SINGAPORE] The offerors for Low Keng Huat have raised the offer price for the property developer to S$0.78 a share from S$0.72 a share. The offeror Consistent Record – a special purpose vehicle effectively controlled by managing director Marco Low and…
Read MoreS&P 500, Dow open near record highs after mixed earnings, inflation data
[NEW YORK] The S&P 500 and the Dow opened near record highs on Tuesday (Jan 13) after a largely in-line inflation report sustained expectations of rate cuts this year, while investors weighed mixed quarterly results from JPMorgan and Delta Air Lines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 26.8 points at the open to 49,616.95. The…
Read MoreKeppel Reit preferential offering closes with 76.9% valid acceptances; total applications at 97%
The gross proceeds of S$886.3 million will go into funding the purchase of another one-third interest of Marina Bay Financial Centre’s Tower 3 [SINGAPORE] Keppel Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) has received valid acceptances of 76.9 per cent at the close of its preferential offering announced on Dec 11, 2025. In a bourse filing on…
Read MoreMorgan Stanley lifts Asia bonuses 20% after record revenue haul
Despite a record year in Asia, the bank cautions against raising bonuses too sharply, aiming to smooth compensation [HONG KONG] Morgan Stanley increased bonuses by about 20 per cent for bankers in Asia after the firm closed in on a record US$10 billion in revenue from the region last year, people familiar with the matter…
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