Posts by Mark Darwin
Partial offer for Cordlife lapses with Thai-listed Medeze obtaining less than 1% stake
An independent financial adviser had earlier deemed the offer unfair and unreasonable [SINGAPORE] A partial offer for a 10 per cent stake in Cordlife Group has lapsed, with the offerer, a subsidiary of Thai-listed Medeze Group, having secured less than a 10th of the shares it needed to. As at the close of the offer…
Read MoreTech lobby group urges EU leaders to pause AI Act
Published Thu, Jun 26, 2025 · 06:29 AM [STOCKHOLM] Tech lobbying group CCIA Europe, whose members include Alphabet, Meta and Apple, on Thursday urged European Union to pause implementation of the AI Act, saying a rushed roll-out risks jeopardising the continent’s AI aspirations. Europe’s landmark AI rules entered into force in June last year with…
Read MoreHong Kong intervenes to defend FX peg as local currency drops
[HONG KONG] Hong Kong’s de facto central bank bought the local dollar to prop it up on Thursday (Jun 26), in a move to defend the city’s currency peg to the greenback. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) purchased HK$9.4 billion (S$1.5 billion) of local currency. This came after the exchange rate touched the weak…
Read MoreEurope: Shares sag as investors weigh Iran-Israel ceasefire
A RALLY in European stocks hit a roadblock as investors weighed the fragility of the Israel-Iran ceasefire, with attention quickly shifting to the looming US tariff pause deadline. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index lost steam after Tuesday’s best intraday jump in over a month, dipping 0.74 per cent to 536.98 as a wave of red swept across most…
Read MoreAI-Powered LinkedIn Post Generators
Today, when every other brand has an online presence, personal branding is no longer an option, but a necessity. No matter if you’re an entrepreneur, freelance worker, or just someone who wants to take their career to the next level, you cannot underestimate the power of consistent presence on LinkedIn. Other than LinkedIn, which is…
Read MoreBanks critical to help companies in more protectionist global economic order: Gan Kim Yong
[SINGAPORE] Banks play a critical role in helping companies as they adapt to a more protectionist global economic order, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is also minister for trade and industry, and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). “While many businesses are pushing back against the new tariffs, once they…
Read MoreKeppel partners AIIB for up to US$1.5 billion in Asia-Pacific green infrastructure deals
[SINGAPORE] Asset manager Keppel has partnered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to facilitate up to US$1.5 billion worth of sustainable infrastructure investments and financing opportunities in Asia-Pacific. The tie-up will last for an initial five-year period up to December 2030, and focus on funding infrastructure projects developed by Keppel and invested by its private funds,…
Read MoreThailand moves to recriminalise cannabis, shaking US$1b industry
[BANGKOK] Thailand’s government is moving to recriminalise cannabis, plunging into limbo an industry estimated to be worth over US$1 billion that has boomed since the substance was taken off the country’s narcotics list in 2022. The push to impose new controls on recreational use of cannabis comes after the Bhumjaithai Party, which championed its legalisation,…
Read MoreGoing around in circles: Do Singapore investors have the appetite for another telco listing?
[SINGAPORE] Singapore’s public listing drought has left investors searching for any sign of life in the markets. It is understandable, then, that the potential listing of Singapore-based virtual telecommunications player Circles.Life on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) gave rise to some excited chatter. Rameez Ansar, chief executive officer and co-founder of Circles, told media last month…
Read MoreInvestment firm PAG raises 3.1 billion yuan in first yuan-denominated buyout fund: sources
[HONG KONG] Asia-focused investment firm PAG has raised 3.1 billion yuan (S$553 million) at the first close of its inaugural yuan-denominated buyout fund, exceeding its target, two people with knowledge of the matter said, as it looks to deepen investments in China. The fundraising comes amid a slowdown in China’s dealmaking as economic headwinds and…
Read More