Voice AI startup Deepgram raises $130 million at $1.3 billion valuation
Jan 13 : Voice AI technology startup Deepgram said on Tuesday it raised $130 million at a $1.3 billion valuation as it looks to expand internationally, roll out new models, and pursue acquisitions.The funding round was led by AVP, an investment firm that focuses on tech startups across North America ...
US senators introduce long-awaited bill to define crypto market rules
Jan 13 : U.S. senators late Monday night unveiled draft legislation that would create a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency that, if signed into law, would clarify financial regulators' jurisdiction over the burgeoning sector, potentially boosting digital asset adoption.The crypto industry ...
Keppel Reit preferential offering closes with 76.9% valid acceptances; total applications at 97%
Tan Nai Lun - Gross proceeds of S$886.3 million will go into funding the purchase of another one-third interest of Marina Bay Financial Centre’s Tower 3
GKE Corp earnings down to $1.87 mil for 1HFY2026; interim cash dividend of 0.05 cents declared
Nicole Lim - GKE Corporation has reported lower earnings of $1.87 million for the 1HFY2026 ended Nov 30, 2025, down 57.5% y-o-y. Revenue for the period grew 5.3% y-o-y to $66.53 million, while gross profit declined 9.2% y-o-y to $17.67 million. Earnings per share for 1HFY2026 declined 57.9% y-o-y to 0.24 cents. ...
JPMorgan profit falls on one-time Apple card deal charge
Profit fell to US$13 billion, or US$4.63 per share, in the three months ended December 31
Power crunch, red tape forcing Asia’s data centres out of hyperscaler hubs
Young Zhan Heng - Operators are pivoting towards a ‘decentralised’ model – which places data centres in ‘Tier-2’ cities
Centurion Accommodation REIT completes acquisition of EPIISOD Macquarie Park in Sydney for A$345 mil
Nicole Lim - Centurion Accommodation REIT (CAREIT) has completed the acquisition of EPIISOD Macquarie Park in Sydney, Australia for A$345 million ($280.1 million). The acquisition was fully financed through committed debt facilities, and represents CAREIT’s first purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) asse ...
Singapore sees record port performance in 2025
Gross tonnage of vessel arrivals and container throughput both hit new highs last year, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
JERA on track for 20% ammonia co-firing at Hekinan coal power plant in FY29
HEKINAN, Japan, Jan 13 : Japan's biggest power generator JERA is on track to achieve 20 per cent ammonia co-firing at a unit of its Hekinan thermal power station in fiscal 2029, marking the world's first commercial use of ammonia as a fuel, the plant's head said on Tuesday.Mitsutaka B ...
Global central bankers defend Fed’s Powell after Trump threat
Central bankers fear that political influence over the Fed would erode trust in the bank’s commitment to its inflation target
Seven things to know about Malaysia’s sector giants Sunway-IJM RM11 billion merger
Tan Ai Leng - The deal will merge two of the country’s leading construction and property firms into one powerhouse valued at nearly RM50 billion
HC Surgical Specialists earnings up 17.5% y-o-y to $3.97 mil from fair value gain on financial assets
Nicole Lim - HC Surgical Specialists has reported earnings of $3.97 million for the 1HFY2026 ended Nov 30, 2025, up 17.5% y-o-y. Revenue declined 1.6% y-o-y for 1HFY2026 to $9.78 million, and earnings per share came in 17.7% y-o-y higher at 2.59 cents. Earnings grew due to non-operational items, including fair v ...
ExxonMobil’s truth-telling on Venezuela shows risk of crossing Trump
There are no signs the Trump administration will oppose ExxonMobil’s role in Venezuela’s reconstruction efforts
Eindec Corporation expands into integrated green and AI-driven engineering solutions
Nicole Lim - Eindec Corporation has announced that it will be “enhancing” its services as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) cleanroom equipment provider by expanding into integrated green and AI-driven solutions. This is led by the group’s wholly-owned subsidiary Eindec Singapore, which ha ...
Japanese investors sell foreign assets in December
Jan 13 : Japanese investors were net sellers of foreign debt in December with U.S. Treasury yields rising, and also sold foreign equities as elevated stock valuations prompted profit-taking.According to Japan's Ministry of Finance data, local investors sold a net 374.2 billion yen in foreign lo ...
Paramount launches Warner Bros proxy fight, files suit
The battle between Netflix and Paramount stands to reshape the entertainment industry regardless of who wins
Trump’s pick as Vietnam envoy sets sights on trade gap as Hanoi’s surplus with US tops China’s
Vietnam’s rise is closely linked to a sharp decline in China’s trade with the US
Singapore stocks ride Asian wave amid US ‘self-sabotage’; STI up 0.9%
Jude Chan - Japan’s Nikkei 225, South Korea’s Kospi, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index all close higher
260 workers receive S$600,000 in salary relief after their firms were wound up
Low Youjin - The short-term relief fund is meant for employers unable to pay salary arrears due to business failure
Duty Free International earnings plunge to RM1.47 mil for 3QFY2026 due to absence of one-off compensation
Nicole Lim - Duty Free International (DFI) has reported a 96.5% y-o-y decrease in earnings for the 3QFY2026 ended Nov 30, 2025 of RM1.47 million ($470,000). For 9MFY2026, earnings declined 86.2% y-o-y to RM5.5 million. Revenue for the 3MFY2026 and 9MFY2026 period came in 40.6% y-o-y higher at RM57.9 million and ...
Singapore port achieves record high performance in 2025
Tay Peck Gek - The country overtook Hong Kong after hundreds of vessels reflagged from the Chinese city to the Republic in September and October
GigaDevice jumps nearly 40% in Hong Kong debut amid China's chip self-sufficiency drive
Proceeds from the share sale will fund research and development as well as strategic and industry investments
Second Woodlands EC site sets record with top bid of S$794 psf ppr from Sim Lian
Jessie Lim - The bid is 1.5% higher than the previous record bid of S$782 psf ppr placed for a nearby site last August
AirAsia X to be renamed AirAsia from Jan 19, founder says
[KUALA LUMPUR] AirAsia X will be renamed AirAsia from Jan 19 as low-cost carrier AirAsia reaches the final stages of its restructuring...
Robotics frenzy drives US$24 billion gain in Hyundai Motor stocks
Its projects help to modernise the company’s image, and its undervalued stock has room to rise further
Guinness-owner Diageo is said to weigh options for China assets including sale
The company is trimming global holdings as falling alcohol use hurts efforts to push pricier drinks
Mind the costs of using CPF savings to buy a home
Leslie Yee - Aim for higher payouts under CPF Life and enjoy good interest rates on CPF savings
Morgan Stanley lifts Asia bonuses 20% after record revenue haul
Despite a record year in Asia, the bank cautions against raising bonuses too sharply, aiming to smooth compensation
CNA Explains: Why global public debt is swelling – and why it matters
The International Monetary Fund has warned that public debt is hitting levels not seen since World War II, when governments faced years of painful repayment and rebuilding.
Three adjoining Geylang plots for sale with guide price of $31 million
The Edge Singapore - Three freehold plots in Geylang with redevelopment potential are up for sale with a combined asking price of $31 million, or $869 psf on maximum permissible gross floor area (GFA). The plots, with a total land area of 1,183.6 sqm, or 12,740 sq ft, comprise a pair of adjoining terrace houses along Lo ...
Investors back energy providers over big tech for 2026 AI bets, says BlackRock
LONDON, Jan 13 : BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, still believes in the investment case for artificial intelligence in the year ahead but will be focusing on broader opportunities, it said on Tuesday.Investors seeking to play the AI theme into 2026 favour energy and infrastructure ...
Proactive tax strategy in a shifting global landscape
As OECD rules redefine the game, Singapore’s tax and business leaders are pivoting from compliance to strategic foresight
Local qualifying salary to be further refined, details to be announced in Budget
Low Youjin - The LQS is put in place to ensure firms do not hire locals on ‘a token salary’, said Manpower Minister Tan See...
UK's Trustpilot expects 20% annual revenue jump on higher bookings
Jan 13 : Global online review platform Trustpilot forecast 20 per cent growth in revenue and profit ahead of expectations for 2025 on Tuesday, helped by double-digit growth in bookings in all its markets.The company said it expects full-year revenue to rise to $261 million, helped by an 18 per cent ...
