Posts by Mark Darwin
Apple’s India sales hit record US$9 billion after big retail push
[NEW DELHI] Apple’s annual sales in India hit a record of nearly US$9 billion in the last fiscal year, signalling growing consumer demand for its flagship devices as the company ramps up its retail footprint in the world’s most populous country. Revenue rose about 13 per cent in the 12 months through March from US$8…
Read MoreNikkei ends at over 2-week high as Trump lowers tariffs on Japanese automobiles
[TOKYO] Japan’s Nikkei share average closed at a more-than two-week high on Friday (Sep 5) as auto shares rose after US President Donald Trump signed an order to lower tariffs on Japanese automobile shipments and other products. The Nikkei rose 1.03 per cent to close at 43,018.75, its highest close since August 19. The index…
Read MoreAI driving efficiency up and costs down at creative agencies: advertising mogul Martin Sorrell
[SINGAPORE] Artificial intelligence (AI) is sweeping across the advertising and marketing industry – and challenging the traditional agency model where too much time and manpower are spent producing commercials or advertising campaigns. AI has compressed the time needed for visualisation and copywriting, and some ads are now even completely produced by it. “The agency has…
Read MoreMaking sense of the shifting ESG regulatory climate
LAST month, Singapore Exchange Regulation and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority decided to delay the introduction of elements of the climate reporting requirements they had announced in September 2024, most notably extending the timeline for small and medium-sized listed companies by up to five years. While reporting requirements for the 30 largest companies on…
Read MoreThe Impossible Becomes Possible: My Millennium Wave
The Millennium Wave in Tahiti stands as a monument to what many consider impossible. This famous wave, which I rode in February, marked a turning point in my life—a moment when I faced what seemed like an insurmountable challenge and overcame it. Until that day, this wave represented the ultimate barrier in surfing. It wasn’t…
Read MoreBlackRock to run US$80 billion for Citi as bank refocuses wealth unit
The move highlights a growing trend among big banks to partner with specialist asset managers Published Thu, Sep 4, 2025 · 10:35 PM [NEW YORK] Citigroup said on Thursday (Sep 4) it will transfer about US$80 billion in client assets from its wealth management unit to BlackRock, further outsourcing investment management as it simplifies core…
Read MoreSingapore orders Meta to implement anti-scam measures or face possible fine
[SINGAPORE] Singapore police have ordered Meta to implement anti-scam measures against advertisements, accounts, profiles and business pages impersonating key government office holders on its social media network Facebook to combat scams, a government minister said. The company could be fined up to S$1 million if it fails to comply as part of the first such…
Read MoreCenturion unit acquires Johor dorm operator for RM110.8 million, ups bed capacity by 25%
[SINGAPORE] A unit of dormitory operator Centurion Corporation has acquired another dormitory operator in Johor for RM110.8 million (SG$33.2 million), the mainboard-listed company said in a bourse filing on Tuesday (Sep 2). Centurion’s wholly owned subsidiary Centurion Dormitories did so by acquiring all the issued shares in Malaysia-incorporated Harum Megah, the group said. The acquisition…
Read MoreConfidence Trumps Wealth in Investment Decisions
Self-doubt can be paralyzing, especially when you’re surrounded by wealthy, successful people. For years, I struggled with this feeling when advising high-net-worth clients on investments. Despite my expertise and daily immersion in the markets, I would hesitate to speak up when I saw them making poor investment choices. Why? Because I was intimidated by their…
Read MoreDatabricks to buy Sequoia-backed Tecton in AI agent push
[TORONTO] Databricks will acquire machine learning startup Tecton to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) agent offerings, the latest in a string of deals aimed at offering full-scale AI building tools for enterprise customers, its chief executive told Reuters on Friday (Aug 22). Tecton, backed by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins, provides software that helps companies…
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