Posts by Mark Darwin
Semiconductor manufacturer Frencken to build new S$63 million plant in Kaki Bukit
[SINGAPORE] Semiconductor maker Frencken will invest S$63 million to build a new and larger five-storey manufacturing facility in Kaki Bukit. The new site will be built on a plot of land leased from Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) to its subsidiary ETLA for a period of 33 years, from Aug 18, 2025, the group said in…
Read MoreTemasek’s Mapletree Investments returns to profit, hits record AUM of S$80.3 billion in FY2025
[SINGAPORE] Temasek’s Mapletree Investments reversed a loss from the previous year to turn a profit of S$227.2 million for the full-year ended Mar 31, on the back of narrowed overall revaluation losses. This was while its assets under management (AUM) hit a record S$80.3 billion, 3.6 per cent higher than S$77.5 billion reported in the…
Read MoreAsean power grid could unlock 25 GW of renewable capacity, lowering Singapore’s electricity costs: Rystad Energy
[SINGAPORE] A regional power grid that allows for electricity trade between Asean nations, if fully realised, could unlock projects that can deliver up to 25 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power and energy storage, based on research by Rystad Energy. The projects, spanning hydropower, solar and offshore wind, would be worth more than US$40 billion in…
Read MoreSingapore stocks climb on the prospects of Trump-Xi talks this week; STI up 0.1%
Gainers beat losers 313 to 192 with 1.1 billion securities worth S$1.3 billion changing hands [SINGAPORE] Local stocks ended Tuesday (Jun 3) higher as investors anticipated possible trade talks between China and the United States, with the confirmation that tariffs on some Chinese goods will be extended till Aug 31. The benchmark Straits Times Index…
Read MoreHong Leong-led consortium secures S$692 million green loan from DBS, OCBC for Tengah’s first private mixed-use project
[SINGAPORE] A consortium led by Hong Leong Holdings has secured a S$692 million green loan to finance the development of Tengah’s first nature-centric private mixed-use residential project. DBS, the anchor lender and sole green advisor for the deal, will contribute S$484 million to the green loan, the bank said on Tuesday (Jun 3). OCBC will…
Read MoreFrasers unit to buy S$48 million Yishun cinema complex from Golden Village
[SINGAPORE] A wholly owned subsidiary of Frasers Property has agreed to buy a cinema complex in Yishun Central from Golden Village Multiplex and lease back the property to the cinema chain. Under a sales and purchase agreement inked on Monday (Jun 2), Frasers unit Lion (Singapore) conditionally agreed to purchase the cinema complex for S$48…
Read MoreAustralia central bank pondered outsized rate cut in May, decided to be predictable
[SYDNEY] Australia’s central bank considered cutting interest rates by an outsized 50 basis points last month as “insurance” against global trade risks, but decided to go the predictable route with a cautious easing. Minutes of its May 20 policy meeting, showed the Reserve Bank of Australia board also debated holding rates unchanged at 4.10 per…
Read MoreChina’s rare earths grip gives Xi leverage in US trade duel
AFTER the US and China agreed in Geneva to lower tariffs from astronomical heights, tensions are now surging over access to chips and rare earths. And Beijing increasingly appears to have an edge. US President Donald Trump on Friday (May 30) accused China of violating the agreement struck last month, and sought a call with…
Read MoreVanguard files for new ex-China emerging markets ETF
ASSET management giant Vanguard Group plans to launch a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) that will target emerging markets while excluding China, joining a growing niche shaped by investor debate over China’s role in global portfolios. The Vanguard Emerging Markets ex-China ETF will make its debut later this summer. Many investors have been unsettled by turmoil…
Read MoreEurope: Shares stumble on Trump’s new tariff threat
EUROPEAN shares began June on a dour note as markets grappled with US President Donald Trump’s new tariff plans that threatened to reignite a fresh wave of global trade tensions. The continent-wide Stoxx 600 slipped 0.14 per cent to 547.92 on Monday, after recording about a 4 per cent gain in May. Late on Friday, Trump…
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