Posts by Mark Darwin
Air India to resume flights to China after nearly six years
[NEW DELHI] Air India said on Monday (Nov 17) it will resume New Delhi-China flights starting February 2026, nearly six years after suspension, as recent diplomatic steps are seen as cautiously reopening bilateral links. The carrier was also planning to launch a Mumbai–Shanghai route later next year, subject to regulatory approvals, it said. “The reinstatement…
Read MoreMinimum fare for Grab drivers to rise by S$0.50 to S$5.80 from Nov 24
It follows Grab’s recognition of the NTUC-affiliated National Taxi Association to represent taxi drivers on its platform [SINGAPORE] The minimum fare for Grab drivers will increase by S$0.50 for most types of Grab rides from Nov 24 onwards. The announcement from the private-hire car company on Monday (Nov 17), followed shortly after Grab officially recognised…
Read MoreLuxury houses eye India, but barriers remain
The country, with 1.4 billion people, offers “a promising market, but still a complicated one” [MUMBAI] The globe’s biggest luxury brands have dreamt of India’s vast consumer base for decades, but navigating the market has proven to be a complex task. French retailer Galeries Lafayette is the latest to try its luck, opening its first…
Read MoreBitcoin is on the verge of erasing year’s gain as the rout deepens
The fear and greed index, a gauge of market sentiment on crypto data platform CoinMarketCap, is nearing ‘extreme fear’, indicating the rising expectations for future sell-offs [NEW YORK] Bitcoin fell below US$95,000 for the first time in about six months as a bout of risk aversion sweeping across markets saw investors pull nearly US$900 million…
Read MoreVietnam’s EV boom: VinFast buys first, mass adoption follows
Domestic brands lead Vietnam’s EV market despite intense competition and limited government incentives [HO CHI MINH CITY] Vietnam is enjoying its position at the top as one of Asia’s biggest success stories amid the revolution in green transportation. The country’s rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has been driven in large part by the strong…
Read MoreUS jury says Apple must pay Masimo US$634 million in smartwatch patent case
A FEDERAL jury in California said on Friday(Nov 14) that Apple owes medical-monitoring technology company Masimo US$634 million for infringing a patent covering blood-oxygen reading technology. The jury agreed with Masimo that the Apple Watch’s workout mode and heart rate notification features violated Masimo’s patent rights, a Masimo spokesperson confirmed. An Apple spokesperson said that…
Read MoreBuffett acquires US$4.9 billion stake in Google parent Alphabet
WARREN Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway acquired 17.9 million shares of Google parent Alphabet during the third quarter, while further trimming its holdings in Bank of America and Apple. Berkshire’s Alphabet stake, representing 0.31 per cent of the outstanding shares, was worth about US$4.9 billion as of Friday’s (Nov 14) market close, according to a regulatory filing.…
Read MoreBuffett acquires US$4.9 billion stake in Google parent Alphabet
WARREN Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway acquired 17.9 million shares of Google parent Alphabet during the third quarter, while further trimming its holdings in Bank of America and Apple. Berkshire’s Alphabet stake, representing 0.31 per cent of the outstanding shares, was worth about US$4.9 billion as of Friday’s (Nov 14) market close, according to a regulatory filing.…
Read MoreRupiah redenomination: How will Indonesia’s currency reform affect its economy?
Redenomination can improve the country’s economic efficiency and enhance confidence in the currency but risks driving inflation [SINGAPORE] In Indonesia, travellers and even locals have long grappled with prices in rupiah that stretch into the millions and billions, making regular purchases seem confusingly expensive. A cocktail at a high-end beach club in Bali can cost…
Read MoreHow to know when your product-market fit is real—or just luck
You’ve got early traction. Customers are talking, revenue is growing, and your Slack is full of emojis. But somewhere between your investor updates and the next sprint, a question keeps nagging you: Is this product-market fit—or just a lucky streak? Every founder faces this moment. The uncertainty feels like standing on a cliff with fog…
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