US energy regulator directs PJM to launch rules on AI connections
WASHINGTON, Dec 18 : The U.S. energy regulator on Thursday directed the largest U.S. grid operator, PJM Interconnection, to establish rules on the connection of artificial intelligence-driven data centers and other large electricity loads located next to power plants. Backers of AI and other faci ...
Mexico's antitrust commission resolves Android competition case, orders Google to drop restrictions
MEXICO CITY, Dec 18 : Mexico's antitrust commission said on Thursday it had resolved a case over a lack of competition in the mobile operating system market stemming from business practices related to Android.As part of the ruling, the commission said Google will eliminate certain contractual ...
Mexico antitrust body says Google cannot impose use of Android on mobile device manufacturers
SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite after mishap
Dec 18 : SpaceX's Starlink said one of its satellites experienced an anomaly in space on Wednesday that created a "small number" of debris and cut off communications with the spacecraft at 418 km (259.73 miles) in altitude, a rare kinetic accident in orbit for the satellite internet g ...
Lawmakers raise concerns about Echostar deals to sell wireless spectrum to AT&T, SpaceX
WASHINGTON, Dec 18 : Two Democratic lawmakers on Thursday raised concerns about EchoStar's deals to sell key spectrum to AT&T and SpaceX for $40 billion, saying it could shrink competition in wireless and satellite markets.Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Greg Casar urged the Fed ...
Wall Street opens higher as inflation eases; forecast boosts Micron
[NEW YORK] Wall Street’s main indexes opened higher on Thursday (Dec 18) after softer-than-expected inflation data boosted expectations for more interest rate...
USITC to probe certain wearable devices after Ouraring complaint
WASHINGTON, Dec 18 : The U.S. International Trade Commission is launching an investigation into certain wearable devices after Ouraring Inc filed a complaint, it said in a statement on Thursday.The companies the USITC identified as part of its probe include Samsung Electronics, Reebok and Zepp Healt ...
Austria's top court rules Meta's ad model illegal, orders overhaul of user data practices in EU
Dec 18 : Austria's Supreme Court has ruled that Meta's personalized advertising model is unlawful and ordered the company to provide users across the European Union with complete access to their personal data within 14 days of any request, in a final and directly enforceable decision that ...
Optus criticised for failures in fatal emergency call outage
Peter Vercoe / Bloomberg - Optus management has been sharply criticised in an independent review into September’s fatal emergency call outage, which found that a series of avoidable failures and cultural shortcomings at the Australian telecommunications company contributed to the incident. The report by veteran executive Ke ...
Lasers turn back time on Rome’s Column of Marcus Aurelius
ROME, Dec 18 : Just as cosmetic surgeons wield lasers to smooth away wrinkles, archaeologists in Rome are firing beams of light at history itself, peeling away decades of grime from one of the city's most storied monuments.Restorers are making the most extensive use yet of laser cleaning in Ita ...
ECB holds rates with growth firmer and inflation near target
Policymakers give no guidance on next steps, saying decisions will be made meeting by meeting on data
UBS plans January job cuts to kick off final year of integration
The step will be followed by another round later in 2026
Trump Media, fusion power firm TAE Technologies combine in US$6 billion deal
Under the deal, shareholders of both companies will own about 50% of the combined entity
Zara turns to AI to generate fashion imagery using real-life models
LONDON, Dec 18 : Zara has become the latest fast-fashion retailer to use AI to help create new images of real models in different outfits, speeding up the production process as part of an industry shift that could have a major impact on fashion photography.Zara's AI experimentation follows Swed ...
IndiGo faces India antitrust scrutiny after mass flight cancellations
Disruptions highlight risks of the 90% IndiGo-Air India duopoly in India’s air market
Indonesia will issue investment instruments for export earnings of natural resources
JAKARTA, Dec 18 : Indonesia will issue investment instruments for earnings from the export of natural resources, a finance ministry official said on Thursday, to try to improve exporters' compliance with rules to keep their foreign currency proceeds in the country.The new regulation, intended t ...
Ever Glory’s public offer of 2 mil offer shares 7.6 times subscribed
Nicole Lim - Ever Glory’s public offer of 2 million offer shares was 7.6 times subscribed, having received total valid applications for 15,288,700 offer shares. The company announced on Dec 10 that it was issuing 2 million new offer shares at 64 cents per offer share, in relation to its proposed transfer of li ...
Bank of England lowers rates after tight vote but signals caution about further cuts
Five MPC members vote to lower the benchmark rate for the fourth time in 2025 to 3.75%
MinLaw looks forward to ‘full and thorough’ probe into allegations of workplace issues at Law Society
[SINGAPORE] The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) on Thursday (Dec 18) said it looks forward to a “full and thorough investigation” into allegations...
ValueMax Group to defend claims of trademark infringement brought by Louis Vuitton Malletier
Nicole Lim - ValueMax Group says that it shall “vigorously and robustly defend” the claims of trademark infringement brought by Louis Vuitton Malletier (LV) on the group. The global luxury fashion goods company filed a claim in mid-September alleging that ValueMax’s retail arm had in July and August 2024 a ...
China solar industry’s losses narrowing on overcapacity push, association says
The deficit still comes up to 6.42 billion yuan in the July-to-September period
Accenture beats quarterly revenue estimate
Dec 18 : Accenture beat Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue on Thursday, driven by robust demand for its artificial intelligence solutions that help clients integrate the technology to enhance productivity.The IT consulting firm reported revenue of $18.74 billion, compared with analys ...
Accenture beats quarterly revenue estimate on strong demand for AI services
Dec 18 : Accenture beat Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue on Thursday, buoyed by robust demand for its artificial intelligence-driven IT services as the company advances its AI strategy to capture greater market share.The company's aggressive AI push underscores a wider industr ...
Trump Media, fusion power firm TAE Technologies combine in $6 billion deal
Dec 18 : U.S. President Donald Trump's social media company is entering the fusion-power business through a more than $6 billion merger with TAE Technologies, betting on the experimental technology as AI datacenters drive a surge in energy demand.Shareholders of each company will own about 50 p ...
Trump Media bets on fusion energy with $6 billion TAE deal
Dec 18 : U.S. President Donald Trump is getting into the fusion power business through a $6 billion merger of his social media firm and Google-backed TAE technologies, just days after industry representatives urged federal funding. The all-stock deal announced on Thursday is an ambitious bet on the ...
Trump Media, TAE Technologies to combine in $6 billion deal
Dec 18 : Trump Media & Technology and fusion power company TAE Technologies have agreed to combine in an all-stock deal valued at more than $6 billion, the companies said on Thursday.Shareholders of each company will own about 50 per cent of the combined entity after the closing of the deal in m ...
Trump Media bets on fusion energy with US$6 billion TAE deal
All-stock merger aims to tap AI-driven energy demand, sending Trump Media shares up 35 per cent after a year of heavy losses.
UPS company deploys AI to spot fakes amid surge in holiday returns
LOS ANGELES, Dec 18 : Nearly one in every 10 retail items that are returned for a refund in the U.S. is fraudulent, according to a UPS-owned reverse logistics company that says it plans to combat the $76.5 billion problem for the country’s retailers with artificial intelligence. This holiday seas ...
Meta's Yann LeCun targets $3.5 billion valuation for new AI startup, FT reports
Dec 18 : Meta's outgoing chief artificial intelligence scientist Yann LeCun is holding early talks to raise 500 million euros ($586.00 million) for a new startup that would value the AI firm at about 3 billion euros ahead of its official launch, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.The repo ...
US crypto industry cheers 2025 wins, but party may fizzle next year
Dec 18 : After celebrating Donald Trump's second presidential term by swilling cocktails and partying to Snoop Dogg at a pre-inauguration event in January, the crypto industry went on to notch major legislative and regulatory victories this year.But the party may not continue into 2026.Among th ...
Singapore industrial market set for ‘uneven growth’ in 2026
Ry-Anne Lim - High-spec, high-tech industrial space in demand, but occupiers growing more cost-conscious and older assets face pressure
Japan's Sumitomo Realty puts India bet on Mumbai and serviced apartments
MUMBAI, Dec 18 : Japan's Sumitomo Realty and Development, the country's third-largest developer, plans to expand in India with an unusual strategy: focusing on Mumbai and managing apartments rather than selling them, executives told Reuters.Japanese developers are extending their presence ...
Coal burrows on
The Edge Singapore - Resources Global Development bets on shipping and coal mining as twin engines to capture Indonesia’s growth story Over the years, coal has increasingly fallen out of favour, given its reputation as a dirty fuel. More and more investors thumbed their nose at this fossil fuel when the financial indu ...
Five Singapore business leaders look back on 2025
Helmi Yusof - Key figures in industries from finance and F&B to live music and art reflect on the challenging year they faced
