Posts by Mark Darwin
US: S&P 500, Nasdaq end at fresh records
WALL Street stocks edged higher on Monday ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq finishing at fresh records after a choppy session. While the Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady, the central bank’s commentary will be analyzed for its implications for monetary policy later in 2024. Investors are also…
Read MoreFacebook parent Meta Platforms working on AI technology for Europe
FACEBOOK owner Meta Platforms is building artificial intelligence technology specifically for Europe that reflects linguistic, geographic and cultural references, the company said on Monday (Jun 10). Meta will train its large language models using content that people in the European Union have chosen to share publicly on its platforms such as Instagram, Facebook. The company…
Read MoreEuro dives on political uncertainty; sterling also down
THE euro fell sharply on Monday (Jun 10), hit by political uncertainty after gains by the far right in voting for the European Parliament on Sunday prompted a bruised French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap national election. The uncertainty in France adds one more element to what will be a busy week for…
Read MoreTop 20 China-linked SGX stocks reap total median returns of 8.4% year-to-date
THE top 20 China-related stocks listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) generated median total returns of 8.4 per cent year-to-date, SGX market strategist Geoff Howie said in a market update on Monday (Jun 10). These stocks had at least one-tenth of their revenue for the recent financial year come from China and booked the highest…
Read MoreSBMA launches retail gold investment committee in collaboration with World Gold Council
The Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA) has launched the Retail Gold Investment Committee, in collaboration with the World Gold Council (WGC), to enhance trust and transparency in gold investments. The committee will be chaired by Silver Bullion, a Singapore-based precious metals dealing firm, to implement the Retail Gold Investment Principles established by the WGC. The…
Read MoreTough stance on board renewal has helped to spur recruitment of more women directors
HERE’S some good news about diversity in Singapore’s boardrooms: At the 100 largest locally listed companies by market capitalisation, women occupied 23.7 per cent of all board seats at end-2023. The latest Singapore Board Diversity Review said this marked an improvement from 21.7 per cent at end-2022, and only 7.5 per cent at end-2013. …
Read MoreLNG price slump speeds shift away from oil for China’s trucks
A slump in the price of natural gas and the prospect of a glut in the years ahead is spurring sales of trucks and ships powered by the fuel, hastening a long-term shift away from oil in the top importer. One in three new heavy-duty trucks sold in China in April was powered by the…
Read MoreSouth-east Asian economies no longer tethered to Fed’s decisions
MARKET watchers worldwide are eagerly anticipating the outcome of the US Federal Reserve’s next meeting later this week. Closer to home, regional central banks are also gearing up for key meetings. The Bank of Thailand (BOT), for one, will hold its next rate review on Wednesday (Jun 12), just before the Fed’s decision. Expectations for…
Read MoreSouth-east Asian economies no longer tethered to Fed’s decisions
MARKET watchers worldwide are eagerly anticipating the outcome of the US Federal Reserve’s next meeting later this week. Closer to home, regional central banks are also gearing up for key meetings. The Bank of Thailand (BOT), for one, will hold its next rate review on Wednesday (Jun 12), just before the Fed’s decision. Expectations for…
Read MoreNvidia hitting US$3t propels Jensen Huang’s wealth above Michael Dell’s
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang has steadily climbed the ranks of the world’s wealthiest as the market value of his computer-chip maker touches US$3 trillion. Huang hit another milestone on Friday (Jun 7), passing personal computer pioneer Michael Dell to become the world’s 13th-richest person with a net worth of US$106.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires…
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