Posts by Mark Darwin
Australia central bank wary of cutting rates too quickly, prudent to await more data
[SYDNEY] Australia’s central bank judged lowering interest rates for a third time within four meetings was not consistent with its strategy of easing in a cautious and gradual manner, a reason that it shocked markets by holding steady this month. Minutes of its Jul 7 to 8 policy meeting showed the majority of the Reserve…
Read MoreLink Reit CEO George Hongchoy to retire after 16 years at company
He plans to step down before June 2026; Link is the largest Reit in Asia and manages a HK$226 billion portfolio [SINGAPORE] The group CEO of Link Asset Management Limited, George Hongchoy, plans to step down before the end of June 2026. Hongchoy has held the CEO position for 16 years and will stay on…
Read MoreChina’s Cosco eyes veto rights in deal for Li Ka-shing’s ports
[HONG KONG] China’s biggest shipping company is set to join the global consortium that’s acquiring Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s overseas ports, and is requesting a powerful role in the group in order to secure Beijing’s blessing for the controversial deal, sources familiar with the matter said. State-owned China Cosco Shipping is asking to have…
Read MoreOne of Singapore’s longest-running hedge funds is shutting down on US investor pullback
[SINGAPORE] One of Singapore’s longest-running hedge funds, New Silk Road Investment, is shutting down after weak returns and a pullback by US investors in Asia led to a sharp drop in assets. The firm, started by two finance veterans about 16 years ago, saw assets under management plummet to US$615 million as at December, from…
Read MoreNot just DBS or Nvidia: these are the top most-traded stocks in Singapore
[SINGAPORE] The year to date has been marked by significant market volatility, with trade tensions and tariff-related uncertainty acting as key catalysts. Global supply chains have faced persistent disruptions as major economies imposed and responded to tariffs, particularly in sectors like technology and manufacturing. Since coming into office in January, US President Donald Trump has…
Read MoreUS authorities probing airliner’s close call with B-52 bomber
[WASHINGTON] US aviation regulators said on Monday they are investigating a recent close call in which a passenger plane took emergency action to avoid a mid-air collision with a US military bomber. A Delta flight operated by SkyWest took off Friday from Minneapolis and was approaching the city of Minot, North Dakota when the pilot…
Read MoreSoftBank and OpenAI’s Stargate aims building small data centre by year-end: WSJ
Published Tue, Jul 22, 2025 · 09:46 AM STARGATE, a multi-billion-dollar effort by ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle to supercharge the US’ AI ambitions is now setting the more modest goal of building a small data centre by the end of the year, likely in Ohio, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. In…
Read MoreStocks to watch: Singtel, CapitaLand Investment, GHY Culture, Dasin Retail Trust
[SINGAPORE] The following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Tuesday (Jul 22): Singtel: Its wholly owned subsidiary Singtel Optus on Monday priced S$160 million in fixed-rate notes due Jul 25, 2035, at 2.726 per cent. The notes, guaranteed by Optus and certain subsidiaries, will be issued on Jul 25…
Read MoreChina says Wells Fargo banker ‘involved’ in criminal case
[BEIJING] China said the case of a Wells Fargo banker blocked from leaving the country was related to a criminal matter, escalating an episode that already underscored global firms’ fears about operating in the nation. “Mao Chenyue is involved in a criminal case currently being handled by Chinese law-enforcement authorities and is subject to exit…
Read MoreUS dollar slips against euro but maintains weekly gains
[NEW YORK] The US dollar slipped against the euro on Friday (Jul 18) but held on to weekly gains, as investors weighed expected Federal Reserve policy amid signs that tariffs may be starting to increase some inflation pressures and as US President Donald Trump continued to criticise Chair Jerome Powell. Data last Tuesday showed that…
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