Posts by Stephanie Irvin
China publishes draft guidance for online-platform merchant fees
The Chinese regulator has published draft guidelines for fees that online platforms charge third-party merchants, an important source of revenue for companies including JD.com, Meituan and PDD Holdings. Companies that operate online platforms should charge reasonable fees and take into account factors such as the operational status of merchants with which they do businesses, the…
Read MoreMAS to shortlist fund managers for S$5 billion Equity Market Development Programme by Q3
[SINGAPORE] The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will shortlist fund managers for its S$5 billion Equity Market Development Programme by the third quarter of 2025. In response to media queries, an MAS spokesperson said that the programme, which was announced on Feb 21, has received “good response” from global and regional asset managers. These…
Read MoreTether focuses elsewhere while US seeks to regulate stablecoins
[CHICAGO] While Congress is considering bills that would help integrate stablecoins more into mainstream finance, the largest issuer of the digital tokens says it will continue to focus on serving markets besides the US. On Monday (May 19), an industry-backed regulatory bill known as the Genius Act made its way through the Senate. The House…
Read More‘Little, little screws’ one of many hurdles to US-made iPhones
[NEW YORK/WASHINGTON] President Donald Trump’s bid to bring manufacturing of Apple’s iPhone to the United States faces many legal and economic challenges, experts said on Friday (May 23), the least of which are the insertion of “little screws” that would need to be automated. Trump threatened on Friday to impose a 25 per cent tariff…
Read MoreTrump signs orders to revive US leadership in nuclear power
[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump on Friday (May 23) signed orders meant to accelerate the construction of nuclear power plants, including small, untested designs that offer the promise of rapid deployment but have not yet been built in the US. The effort is a bid to meet a coming surge in electricity demand and help…
Read MoreSalesforce is back in talks to acquire Informatica
[NEW YORK] Salesforce is in talks to acquire software company Informatica, rebooting a pursuit that fell through last year, sources familiar with the matter said. If a deal is reached, it could be announced as soon as next week, according to the sources, who asked to not be identified because the discussions are private. No…
Read MoreChina’s GAC starts auto sales in Brazil, eyes local plant by late 2026
[SAO PAULO] Chinese automaker GAC announced on Friday (May 23) its product launch in Brazil, saying it expects its line of hybrid and electric cars to garner market acceptance that would allow it to start building a factory in the country in late 2026. GAC’s move comes at a time of growing competition in the…
Read MoreTrump shocks with US Steel-Nippon approval but details elusive
[NEW YORK] US President Donald Trump on Friday (May 23) announced a partnership between United States Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel, shocking markets with an agreement he said would keep the once-iconic American firm in the US but otherwise providing no specifics. He stopped short of explicitly endorsing Nippon Steel’s earlier proposed US$14.1 billion takeover…
Read MoreTrump threatens EU, smartphones as tariff rhetoric escalates
[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump dug in on his threat to impose a 50 per cent tariff on the European Union and said a potential 25 per cent charge on smartphones would apply to all foreign-made devices, in the latest escalation of a trade war that is rattling markets and confusing businesses. Trump on Friday…
Read MoreOil gains on short-covering, nuclear talks
Published Sat, May 24, 2025 · 06:29 AM [HOUSTON] Oil prices gained on Friday (May 23) as US buyers covered positions ahead of the three-day Memorial Day weekend amid worries over the latest round of nuclear talks between American and Iranian negotiators. Brent crude futures settled at US$64.78 a barrel, up 34 US cents, or…
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