Posts by Stephanie Irvin
JPMorgan, Macquarie bet on S-Reits amid falling borrowing costs, MAS mandates
[SINGAPORE] Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (S-Reits) could gain from falling interest rates, particularly those with a domestic focus, as well as The Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) initiatives, reports from JPMorgan and Macquarie indicated. This comes as declines in various interest rates, such as the Singapore Overnight Rate Average (Sora) and treasury bills, have…
Read MoreStock to watch: SingPost
[SINGAPORE] The following company saw new developments that may affect trading of its securities on Friday (Jun 20): Singapore Post (SingPost): The national postal service provider has placed 10 Housing and Development Board shophouses for sale and leaseback. This is part of its plan to divest non-core assets and unlock shareholder value while maintaining current…
Read MoreMOF says SRS withdrawal process ‘can be improved’, will work with banks on this
[SINGAPORE] The government will work with Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) bank operators to smoothen account holders’ process of withdrawing funds from their account. The response comes shortly after The Straits Times (ST) published a letter on its Forum page on Monday (Jun 16) by account holder Francis Yeoh, who described the current process as inconvenient,…
Read MoreCanada will ‘adjust’ counter tariffs on US metals if no deal in 30 days
Published Fri, Jun 20, 2025 · 06:59 AM [OTTAWA] Canada will “adjust” its 25 per cent counter tariffs on US steel and aluminum in response to a doubling of US levies if a bilateral trade deal is not reached within 30 days, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday. “Canada will adjust its existing counter tariffs…
Read MoreSpaceX Starship explodes on Texas launch pad
[HOUSTON] A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test in Texas late on Wednesday, the company said, in the latest setback to billionaire Elon Musk’s dream of sending humans to Mars. The explosion – which sent a towering fireball into the air – happened at the Starbase launch facility at about 11:00 pm…
Read MoreTop Thai billionaires-backed groups win digital bank permits
[BANGKOK] Three groups led by Charoen Pokmhand Group, Gulf Development and SCB X have clinched Thailand’s new virtual bank licences to boost competition in the nation’s banking industry, according to the central bank. ACM Holding, which is part of CP Group, and Advanced Info Service, a Gulf Development’s mobile phone affiliate, secured the permits, Bank…
Read MoreDBS expects the economic value from its use of AI to exceed S$1 billion in 2025
[SINGAPORE] Banks are ramping up their use of artificial intelligence (AI), and DBS – which has earned S$750 million through its use of the technology – estimates that its economic value could surpass S$1 billion this year. Since the bank began focusing on AI, it has created more than 350 use cases and has 1,500…
Read MoreBank of England keeps rates steady, sees further loosening as jobs market weakens
[LONDON] The Bank of England held interest rates at 4.25 per cent as expected on Thursday (Jun 19) but said it was focused on risks from a weaker labour market and higher energy prices as conflict in the Middle East escalates. Noting the elevated global uncertainty and persistent inflation, the Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3…
Read MoreWeaker greenback raises risk of currency mismatch for Asian insurers holding USD assets
[SINGAPORE] A mismatch between the currencies in which insurers’ assets and liabilities are held can put pressure on their capital and ability to fulfil the liabilities. This is the issue currently confronting insurers in Taiwan, where the majority of assets are invested in US dollar (USD) bonds, but liabilities are in the domestic Taiwan dollar.…
Read MoreIndonesia central bank makes market intervention after rupiah depreciation
Published Thu, Jun 19, 2025 · 05:17 PM [JAKARTA] Indonesia’s central bank intervened in the foreign exchange market in a measured way on Thursday (Jun 19), an official said, after the rupiah had fallen to a one-month low against the US dollar. The rupiah was down by about 0.6 per cent on the day at…
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