Posts by Yurie Miyazawa
China’s record mergers in 57 trillion yuan small banking sector raise future risks
CHINA oversaw its largest-ever wave of rural bank mergers last year, a Reuters review of official data showed, but analysts say Beijing’s efforts to tackle risks in the small banking sector could end up creating more problems down the road. Many of the roughly 4,000 small Chinese banks are backed by indebted provincial governments and…
Read MoreMalaysia’s Sarawak now gets its own airline in autonomy quest
Sarawak will sign a sales and purchase agreement on Wednesday to acquire MASwings MALAYSIA’S Sarawak state will acquire a sister company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, its latest move to boost ownership of strategic assets as it pushes for greater autonomy. Sarawak will sign a sales and purchase agreement on Wednesday (Feb 12) to acquire…
Read MoreAlibaba’s shares soar after investors buy iPhone AI hopes
ALIBABA Group Holding’s stock surged as much as 8.6 per cent after the Information reported that Apple is working with the e-commerce pioneer to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) features in China. The stock climbed its most since September after the tech outlet, citing one unidentified source, said Apple and Alibaba have submitted AI features…
Read MoreSingapore shares rise at Wednesday’s open; STI up 0.5%
SINGAPORE shares began Wednesday (Feb 12) trading in positive territory as markets abroad logged mixed results. As at 9.01 am, the Straits Times Index (STI) was up 0.5 per cent or 19.87 points at 3,880.63. Across the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers 55 to 42 after 52.5 million securities worth S$61.8 million changed hands. Catalist-listed…
Read MoreChina quants rebound on stocks rally as investors woo new stars
CHINESE quantitative hedge funds saw a strong rebound in the final quarter of 2024, saving the industry from an otherwise bruising year marked by record drawdowns and regulatory clampdown. On average, quant long-only products beat stock market benchmarks by 9.9 percentage points last year, mostly on the back of returns in the fourth quarter, according…
Read MoreCordlife group CEO resigns, search for replacement ongoing
PRIVATE cord-blood bank Cordlife’s group chief executive officer Yiu Pang Fai, 35, has tendered his resignation “to pursue other opportunities” and its board of directors has accepted his decision. His effective date of cessation will be Feb 28, 2025, Cordlife said in a Wednesday (Feb 12) bourse filing. The group has commenced the search for…
Read MoreKKR nears US$14 billion for buyout fund in show of momentum
KKR is more than halfway to a US$20 billion money-raising goal for its North America buyout fund, a sign of momentum during a difficult environment for the asset class. The New York-based asset manager has gathered around US$14 billion ahead of a first close of its North America private equity fund, according to sources with…
Read MoreJPMorgan adds buy-now, pay-later provider Klarna to its payments platform
JPMORGAN Chase’s payments processing unit is partnering with fintech Klarna to expand buy now, pay later (BNPL) options for its merchants. JPMorgan Payments will provide some 900,000 businesses the ability to offer Klarna’s fast-credit options to their customers, according to a statement on Monday (Feb 10). It means Klarna, which is targeting a US initial…
Read MoreListed companies can dial down on diversity; profits, financial prudence, shareholder treatment matter more
LIVING in multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore – where people hail from diverse nationalities and many are foreign-born – is fun. One can celebrate various festive occasions, learn about disparate cultures and access different cuisines. Crucially, too, Singapore’s diverse society is a strength for our businesses. For example, penetrating regional markets is easier when a business can…
Read MoreFuture-proofing your business in 2025
AMID continued geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic uncertainty and market volatility, businesses are looking to future-proof themselves to stay competitive in a rapidly changing landscape. Against this backdrop, many companies are looking to boost their resilience by leveraging technology and capturing emerging growth opportunities. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this means making bold moves – such…
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