Posts by Stephanie Irvin
New Zealand central bank says former head quit over funding dispute
Published Wed, Jun 11, 2025 · 08:41 AM [SYDNEY] Former New Zealand central bank governor Adrian Orr’s surprise resignation in March was due to his disagreements with the treasury over proposed cuts to the bank’s operating budget, official documents showed on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), in an official response to requests…
Read MoreAustralia’s Qantas to close low-cost arm Jetstar Asia
Published Wed, Jun 11, 2025 · 08:02 AM AUSTRALIAN flag carrier Qantas said on Wednesday it will close Jetstar Asia, the group’s Singapore-based low-cost unit, in a bid to recycle up to A$500 million (S$420 million) as part of its fleet renewal plans. Qantas said that 13 Jetstar Asia Airbus A320 aircraft will be progressively…
Read MoreBlackstone plans US$500 billion Europe investment: CEO
BLACKSTONE is planning to invest as much as US$500 billion in Europe over the next 10 years, underlining the continent’s growing appeal to investors during a period of geopolitical flux. “We see it as a major opportunity for us,” chief executive officer Steve Schwarzman said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Tuesday. “They are starting…
Read MoreUS: Wall St muted at open as US-China trade talks in focus
Published Tue, Jun 10, 2025 · 09:54 PM [NEW YORK] Wall Street’s main indexes opened subdued on Tuesday (Jun 10) as investors awaited the outcome of ongoing trade talks between the United States and China aimed at cooling a tariff dispute that has bruised global markets this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 23.5…
Read MoreTencent Music to buy Chinese audio platform Ximalaya for US$2.4 billion
Ximalaya counts Tencent, Baidu and Sony Group’s music entertainment unit as backers Published Tue, Jun 10, 2025 · 08:40 PM [BEIJING] Chinese music platform Tencent Music Entertainment Group said on Tuesday (Jun 10) it would buy long-form audio platform Ximalaya for about US$2.4 billion in cash and stock, expanding its library of content to attract…
Read MoreSingapore stocks snap 5-day winning streak on Tuesday; STI down 0.1%
[SINGAPORE] Local stocks closed lower on Tuesday (Jun 10), ending five straight days of gains amid concerns that the US-China trade talks may not be going well. Chinese stocks fell ahead of the second day of trade talks with the US, a sign that investors are still nervous as the countries meet to address contentious…
Read MoreThai tech services outlook remains positive amid recession fears: Analyst
[SINGAPORE] Maybank Securities has sounded a positive note for the outlook for the Thailand technology services sector, on the back of support from the banks and government. In a report dated Jun 6, Maybank Securities analyst Wasu Mattanapotchanart singled out tech consulting company Bluebik as the top pick for growth. Maybank Securities estimated that the…
Read MoreElite UK Reit to acquire three UK government-leased assets for £9.2 million
[SINGAPORE] The manager of Elite UK Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) announced on Tuesday (Jun 10) that the Reit has entered into a conditional sale-and-purchase agreement to acquire three freehold government infrastructure assets in the United Kingdom for £9.2 million (S$15.9 million). The seller is Elite Phoenix, a subsidiary of Elite UK Commercial Fund II. …
Read MoreJumbo ventures beyond chilli crab to bring famous Siji Minfu Peking duck chain to Singapore
[SINGAPORE] Home-grown seafood restaurant group Jumbo has inked a joint venture with Chinese roast duck brand Siji Minfu to bring its signature Peking duck to Singapore. While no launch date was provided, the restaurant is expected to open at Resorts World Sentosa, featuring the brand’s famed traditionally roasted Peking duck and its hallmark northern Chinese…
Read MoreAsia: Markets extend gains as China-US talks head into second day
[HONG KONG] Asian stocks squeezed out more gains on Tuesday as the latest round of China-US trade talks moved into a second day, with one of Donald Trump’s top advisers saying he expected “a big, strong handshake”. There is optimism the negotiations – which come after the US president spoke to Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping…
Read More