Posts by Stephanie Irvin
Europe: Shares close higher after Sino-US tariff deal relieves markets
EUROPEAN shares started the week on a positive note on Monday after the United States and China agreed to temporarily slash tariffs, providing some relief to global markets roiled by the trade war. The US will cut extra tariffs on Chinese imports to 30 per cent from 145 per cent and Chinese duties on US…
Read MoreDBS, OCBC and UOB brace for tariff fallout despite steady Q1 results
[SINGAPORE] Uncertainty from US tariffs loomed large as Singapore’s three local banks reported their first-quarter results over the past week. The macroeconomic jitters were significant enough for UOB to suspend its earnings guidance for 2025, although DBS and OCBC have kept theirs unchanged for now. All three banks also set aside additional pre-emptive allowances to…
Read MoreReady to Revamp Your HR Processes? Here’s Where the Transformation Begins
Human Resources isn’t just the department that handles paperwork and onboarding packets anymore. In today’s fast-paced, results-driven business world, HR is a strategic powerhouse that shapes culture, drives performance, and protects your company’s future. But too often, companies treat HR as an afterthought—until problems pile up and the damage is already done. If you’re serious…
Read MoreSGX sees steady stream of delistings amid market pressures
[SINGAPORE] At least 16 companies are on the delisting track as of the first week of May this year. They have either delisted, confirmed delisting dates or announced plans to exit the Singapore Exchange (SGX). Meanwhile, only one initial public offering (IPO) has taken place so far this year – car dealer Vin’s Holdings, which…
Read MoreApple weighs raising iPhone prices in new lineup
The company is considering whether to “couple” price increases with new features and designs Published Mon, May 12, 2025 · 08:13 PM [NEW YORK] Apple is weighing raising prices for the iPhone lineup coming out later this year, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter whom it didn’t identify. The company…
Read MoreFlynas’ US$1.1 billion Saudi Arabia IPO sells out in minutes
Published Mon, May 12, 2025 · 06:44 PM [DUBAI] Saudi Arabia’s Flynas had demand for all the shares on offer in its US$1.1 billion initial public offering minutes after books opened, indicating continued demand for listings in the kingdom despite market volatility. The low-cost carrier and some of its shareholders are selling a 30 per…
Read MoreECB to cut by more as inflation undershoots 2%
[FRANKFURT] The European Central Bank will lower borrowing costs more than previously expected this year to below 2 per cent as inflation is seen undershooting the institution’s target in early 2026, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. After seven quarter-point reductions so far, additional cuts are likely in June and September, a monthly poll showed.…
Read MoreSingapore’s sovereign wealth investors GIC, Temasek find adaptation potential
THE likelihood and extent of climate-related losses and damage have increased, with global warming likely to breach the 1.5-degrees Celsius threshold and possibly even 2 deg C. Higher climate risks could induce greater spending on climate adaptation, especially as the impact of climate change intensifies. Surely there’s money to be made there. Singapore’s sovereign wealth…
Read MoreSoftBank seen booking modest fourth-quarter loss as Vision Fund suffers
[TOKYO] Japanese technology investor SoftBank Group is expected to book a quarterly net loss of 26.9 billion yen (S$239.4 million) on Tuesday (May 13) as early-stage tech startups fell out of favour and losses widened at major portfolio firms. The forecast downgrades are seen by analysts as being partially offset by a stronger yen and…
Read MoreHigh interest rates, volatile stock markets could prime private credit to outshine private equity again
[SINGAPORE] Funds that invest in private credit globally may be poised to beat those for private equity (PE) again this year. That is especially if interest rates remain high while exit opportunities in stock markets are stymied by volatility. An Apr 29 report by index provider MSCI shows that private credit funds generated 6.9 per…
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