Posts by Stephanie Irvin
Taiwan central bank says US debt rising too fast may impact trust in Treasuries
[TAIPEI] Taiwan’s central bank governor warned on Saturday (Jun 21) that rapidly rising US debt could be “unfavourable” to the outlook for US Treasuries and that US President Donald Trump’s trade policies have made investors cautious. Taiwan’s US$593 billion in foreign exchange reserves are more than 80 per cent made up of US Treasury bonds,…
Read MoreMalaysia keeps anti-dumping duties on some Chinese, Japanese iron, steel
Published Sat, Jun 21, 2025 · 12:52 PM [KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia said on Saturday (Jun 21) it would maintain anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese and Japanese cold rolled coils of iron and non-alloy steel more than 1,300 mm wide. But the trade ministry said in a statement it would terminate anti-dumping duties on imports…
Read MoreTesla set to open India showrooms in July with made-in-China EVs
[NEW DELHI] Tesla is set to open its first showrooms in India in July, sources familiar with the discussions said, kicking off formal operations in the world’s third-biggest automobile market as the Elon Musk-led firm hunts for growth amid falling sales in Europe and China. The electric vehicle (EV) giant’s first set of cars have…
Read MoreLME imposes new restrictions on holders of large positions
Published Sat, Jun 21, 2025 · 10:46 AM [LONDON] The London Metal Exchange (LME) has imposed new restrictions on holders of large positions in nearby contracts amid low inventory levels, it said on Friday (Jun 20). LME took action after premiums for nearby copper contracts jumped to their highest levels since October 2022. The exchange,…
Read MoreApple executives have held internal talks about buying AI startup Perplexity
[SAN FRANCISCO] Apple executives have held internal discussions about potentially bidding for artificial intelligence (AI) startup Perplexity AI, seeking to address the need for more AI talent and technology. Adrian Perica, the company’s head of mergers and acquisitions, has weighed the idea with services chief Eddy Cue and top AI decision-makers, according to people with…
Read MoreTesla invites select few to Texas robotaxi trial with front seat safety monitors
[SAN FRANCISCO] Tesla has sent out invitations to a small group of people to join the limited test of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, which is tentatively set to start on Sunday (Jun 22), according to posts and e-mail screenshots on social media. The invitations said a Tesla employee will accompany riders in the…
Read MoreMeta discussed buying Perplexity before investing in Scale
[LOS ANGELES] Meta Platforms held discussions with artificial intelligence (AI) search startup Perplexity AI about a possible takeover before moving ahead with a multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI, according to sources familiar with the matter. The two companies could not come to an agreement and decided not to pursue the deal, said the sources, who…
Read MoreInvestors eye infrastructure sector for diversification and to ride demand
[SINGAPORE] The infrastructure sector is piquing investor interest, given that data centres and the growing number of electric vehicles are consumers of energy, and will drive the demand for power-generation facilities. Based on a global investor sentiment survey by data platform Preqin, the share of investors planning to commit more capital to the asset class…
Read MoreThailand’s Gas Gamble: How Policy Missteps and Private Gains Drive Up Power Bills
In a nation where more than two-thirds of electricity is generated by gas-fired plants, Thailand’s deepening reliance on expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports is not just an energy strategy—it’s a growing burden on its people. As global LNG prices spike and domestic gas output dwindles, questions are mounting over whether energy policy mismanagement and…
Read MoreUS: Wall St indexes open higher with Trump’s Middle East decision in focus
Published Fri, Jun 20, 2025 · 09:49 PM [NEW YORK] Wall Street’s main indexes opened higher on Friday (Jun 20), tracking strength in global stocks after President Donald Trump held off from making an immediate call on US involvement in the Israel-Iran war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 119.4 points, or 0.28 per cent,…
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