Will Manulife US REIT’s distributions ever return?
Felicia Tan - Over-geared because of a series of untimely acquisitions, Manulife US REIT (MUST), the first US office REIT to be listed in Asia, has been struggling to get back on its feet. Since its IPO at 83 US cents, the REIT is a shadow of its former self at just 6 US cents at its last close on March 19. From ...
Are we facing an AI nightmare?
Raghuram G Rajan - The small equity research shop Citrini recently sent financial markets into a panic when it outlined a scenario in which AI would eliminate most white-collar jobs by 2028, with dire consequences for the broader economy. But this forecast is surely too pessimistic in some respects. Outside a few sect ...
Is accountancy still relevant for the Singapore stock market?
Lin Daoyi - From 2018 to 2024, the first-year intake of accountancy students at Singapore’s autonomous universities declined significantly. For instance, Nanyang Technological University’s accountancy intake dropped by more than 40% from 541 in 2018 to 314 in 2024. Coupled with an ageing workforce and attri ...
Rupee breaches 93 per dollar to hit record low as Iran war risks deepen
[MUMBAI] The Indian rupee fell past the 93 per dollar level for the first time on Friday (Mar 20), on heightened worries...
Rupee breaches 93 per US dollar to hit record low as Iran war risks deepen
With no let-up in the conflict, Indian currency looks increasingly vulnerable and could slip to 95 per dollar
Rupee set for all-time low on oil fears, pullback in crude from highs offers relief
[MUMBAI] The Indian rupee is set to weaken toward a lifetime low on Friday, pressured by persistently high oil prices, although a...
CapitaLand India Trust tweaks capital structure as it forges ahead with forward purchases
Goola Warden - CapitaLand India Trust (CLINT) celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. A key structural change has occurred in the intervening years, driven by the interest rate backdrop. Change is underway in the trust’s capital structure in the wake of the narrowing gap between India’s policy repo rate and ...
Lincotrade rides bullish construction demand and data centre hype
Teo Zheng Long - The ongoing construction boom benefited not only construction players but also interior fit-out companies, as completed residential and commercial buildings require fit-out services before occupants can move in. One of the many players poised to benefit from this trend would be Lincotrade & Asso ...
US says it disrupted botnets that infected over 3 million devices worldwide
NEW YORK, March 19 : The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it took part in an operation with Germany and Canada to take down infrastructure used by four major botnets that infected more than 3 million devices worldwide, including hundreds of thousands in the U.S. The malicious networks - Aisu ...
US, Germany, Canada disrupt botnets that infected millions of devices
NEW YORK, March 20 : Law enforcement agencies in the United States, Germany and Canada have carried out an operation to take down infrastructure used by four major botnets that infected more than 3 million devices worldwide. The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday the maliciou ...
Bursa Malaysia pushes for value creation
Liew Jia Teng, Lee Weng Khuen and John Lai - For years, many companies on Bursa Malaysia have faced the same frustration: While they are profitable and fundamentally strong, their valuations trail those of their regional peers. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is seeking to close the gap with a programme that encourages public listed co ...
Tesla in talks with Chinese firms to buy US$2.9 billion worth of solar equipment, sources say
Reviving US manufacturing still requires some degree of trade with China
InnoTek: The local company powering the AI hardware boom
Julian Wong - InnoTek makes parts that most people will never see for products that are reshaping the world. As the Singapore-listed precision manufacturer navigates a difficult FY2025, with EV turbulence, rising tariffs and shrinking margins, its non-executive chairman Neal Chandaria believes the company is bett ...
AI, oil, private equity and the next crisis
Assif Shameen - For nearly three weeks, the world has been fixated on US and Israeli strikes on Iran, soaring oil prices and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil consumption and a third of crude oil trade pass each day. While oil risk is inflationary, squeezing consumers, raisi ...
Big believer in ‘profit and purpose’: CEO of Ayala’s healthcare arm builds ‘ecosystem’ in Philippines
Lionel Lim - Ayala Corporation’s healthcare business unit is back in the black again and looking to expand
RHB lowers Manulife US REIT’s TP to 6 US cents after FY2025 financials below expectations
Felicia Tan - RHB Bank Singapore analyst Vijay Natarajan is remaining “neutral” on Manulife US REIT (MUST) even though the REIT’s FY2025 stood below expectations. For the 12 months ended Dec 31, 2025, MUST reported gross revenue of US$113.9 million ($145.7 million), 32% lower y-o-y. Net property income (NPI ...
Could a Brics currency work?
Jim O’Neill - Could the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) ever launch a shared currency to challenge the US dollar’s dominant position in the world economy? Like many conventional international economists, I have generally dismissed the idea, despite my own role in coining the Brics acronym, wh ...
Can companies buy their way into the S&P 500?
Shang-Jin Wei - Few benchmarks matter more to financial investors than the S&P 500. Trillions of dollars track it directly, and many more are evaluated against it. Inclusion often boosts a firm’s stock price, lowers its cost of capital, and confers prestige. Many corporate boards even tie executive compensati ...
Woh Hup appointed to lead construction of new Marina Bay Sands development
Felicia Tan - Woh Hup (Private) has been appointed as the main contractor for Las Vegas Sands’ new multi-billion-dollar ultra luxury development at Marina Bay Sands. Woh Hup, one of Singapore’s largest privately-owned construction and civil engineering companies, was selected for its strong technical capabili ...
Dollar toppled as oil shock turns central banks hawkish
HONG KONG, March 20 : The dollar slid from multi-month highs this week as soaring energy prices upended the outlook for global interest rates, with the U.S. Federal Reserve left alone as the only major central bank that is not expected to hike rates this year.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran bega ...
Dollar set for weekly drop as central banks turn hawkish with rising oil prices
NEW YORK/LONDON, March 20 : The dollar gained on Friday but was still headed for a weekly fall against major currencies as investors pared back bets on interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve given the likelihood of higher inflation from rising energy prices.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on I ...
Dollar set for weekly fall as central banks turn hawkish
LONDON, March 20 : The dollar slipped from multi-month highs this week as soaring energy prices transformed the outlook for global interest rates, leaving the U.S. Federal Reserve the only major central bank that is not expected to raise rates this year.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began at t ...
Dollar gains but still set for weekly drop as central banks turn hawkish
NEW YORK/LONDON, March 20 : The dollar gained on Friday but was still headed for a weekly fall against major currencies as investors pared back bets on interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve given the likelihood of higher inflation from rising energy prices.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on I ...
Dollar heads for weekly drop as central banks turn hawkish
LONDON, March 20 : The dollar inched up on Friday but was still headed for a weekly fall as soaring energy prices transformed the outlook for global interest rates, leaving the U.S. Federal Reserve as the only major central bank not expected to raise rates this year.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Ir ...
Dollar dips as oil shock turns central banks hawkish
HONG KONG, March 20 : The dollar slipped from multi-month highs this week as soaring energy prices upended the outlook for global interest rates, with the U.S. Federal Reserve left alone as the only major central bank that is not expected to raise rates this year.Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ...
Netflix sees more prospects for live events in South Korea after BTS
SEOUL, March 20 : Netflix anticipates more opportunities for live events in South Korea, the company said on Friday, as the U.S. streaming platform prepares to livestream a highly anticipated BTS comeback concert in Seoul.At a press conference, Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfict ...
Netflix sees more prospects for live events in South Korea
SEOUL, March 20 : Netflix sees more opportunities for live events in South Korea, the company's vice president of nonfiction series and sports said on Friday, as the U.S. streaming platform prepares to livestream a highly anticipated BTS comeback concert in Seoul.At a press conference in Seoul, ...
Netflix sees more prospects for live events in South Korea after BTS comeback
The concert at Seoul's historic Gwanghwamun Square on Mar 21 will mark the release of the seven-member group's first new album in more than three years and the start of a global tour in April.
Newly created roles formed nearly half of the job vacancies in 2025: MOM report
Among PMET vacancies in 2025, about 21.1 per cent required no work experience and were suitable for fresh graduates.
PMET layoffs, vacancies suggest restructuring, not ‘broad-based displacement’ by AI: MOM
Paige Lim - Singapore’s labour market to keep expanding in 2026, after more job vacancies and higher re-entry rate in Q4
Why integration will determine Southeast Asia’s vertical AI winners
Felicia Tan - Enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way. Just three years ago, a project would typically begin with a blank sheet and a prototype pilot. Those days have changed. Now, boards want to see returns on investments (ROI) and C-suites want proof. To David Irecki, chief technology office ...
PMET layoffs, vacancies suggest ongoing restructuring; no broad-based displacement by AI: MOM
Paige Lim - Singapore’s labour market to keep expanding in 2026, after more job vacancies and higher re-entry rate in Q4
Singapore labour demand shifts to growth sectors such as tech; new roles make up nearly half of vacancies in 2025
Low Youjin - Sectors with higher-than-average shares of new roles include information and communications and professional services
Marriott’s Apec ambitions
Jovi Ho - With more than 730 open properties across the region, the hospitality giant sees Vietnam as a bright spot, alongside India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand Nasdaq-listed hospitality giant Marriott International announced in November 2015 a major acquisition: It would merge with New York Stock Excha ...
