Japan keeps view economy recovering but warns risk from Middle East
TOKYO, May 26 : Japan's government retained its assessment in May that the economy was recovering moderately, while warning that tensions in the Middle East and fluctuations in financial markets remain key risks to the outlook.Here are the main points from the report:• On private consumption, ...
Malaysia jolts bullion trade with 10% import duty on gold bars
Malaysia imported around US$2.5 billion of non-monetary gold through April this year
Spain blocks prediction markets Polymarket, Kalshi over lack of gambling licences
MADRID, May 26 : Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry temporarily banned so-called prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi for operating in the country without a gambling licence, the official state gazette showed on Tuesday. • In a statement, the ministry said its gambling watchdog had opened a ...
Sri Lanka jolts markets with outsized 100-bp rate hike to counter Gulf crisis
The Central Bank raised the overnight policy rate to 8.75% from 7.75%
Sri Lanka stuns with 100-bp rate hike as Iran war rattles currency, fuels inflation
COLOMBO, May 26 : Sri Lanka's central bank stunned markets by raising its policy rate by an outsized 100 basis points on Tuesday, the biggest hike in three years, and signalled more tightening as surging energy costs whip up inflation and batter its currency. Economic growth in the South Asian ...
Indonesia’s Merdeka Gold eyes Hong Kong debut with rare depositary receipt listing
The surprise in the deal is the potential reboot of the instrument known as HDRs for the first time in 12 years
OpenAI's Altman says AI unlikely to lead to 'jobs apocalypse'
SYDNEY: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Tuesday (May 26) that the rapid development and adoption of AI would not lead to a global "jobs apocalypse" and that the technology had not claimed as many white-collar jobs as he had feared.Speaking virtually at a Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) ...
Sats may reward shareholders with special dividend if there’s spare cash
Tay Peck Gek - The company is on course to achieve FY2029 targets of S$8 billion in revenue and 20 per cent Ebitda margins
More than 1,000 SMEs and students in Singapore to get Alibaba Cloud AI training
Nurdianah Md Nur - More than 1,000 local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and students in Singapore will receive practical training in generative AI and agentic AI through a one-year initiative by Alibaba Cloud, NTUC’s Tech Talent Assembly and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC). Starting in June, u ...
South Korea to step up monitoring of investments in overseas private debt
SEOUL, May 26 : South Korea will step up monitoring investments by domestic pension funds and banks in overseas private debt, the country's financial watchdog said on Tuesday, as regulators worldwide become more concerned about private credit funds. The outstanding balance of private credit inv ...
Samsung’s non-chip union seeks court order to block vote on 40-trillion won bonus deal
The move highlights deepening compensation gaps between different divisions at the company
Indian water-purifier maker Kent RO delays IPO as Mideast war dents sentiment
CHENNAI, May 26 : Kent RO Systems has shelved plans to go public, its chairman told Reuters, as the Indian water-purifier maker becomes the latest company to delay its stock market debut with the Middle East conflict unsettling global markets and weakening sentiment.The Iran conflict has fuelled con ...
BOJ's new trend gauge shows inflation exceeding target
TOKYO, May 26 : Japan's core consumer inflation rate excluding one-off factors, as measured by the central bank's new gauge, hit 2.8 per cent in April, exceeding its 2 per cent target and accelerating from 2.5 per cent in March, the Bank of Japan said on Tuesday.The new index, which strips ...
Who’s powering next-gen nuclear energy: AI boom drives hybrid financing wave
Janice Lim - But scaling such technologies will hinge on the ability to bring in banks and institutional investors
As India and China surge ahead with nuclear energy, all eyes on Asean’s next move
Sharanya Pillai - The war in the Middle East beefs up the case for nuclear energy to underpin energy security
Singapore factory output up 17.6% in April on AI-related electronics surge, beating forecasts
Paige Lim - All clusters have increased except for chemicals and biomedical manufacturing
AI-driven electricity demand powering hybrid financing for advanced nuclear startups
Janice Lim - But scaling such technologies will hinge on the ability to bring in banks and institutional investors
EnterpriseSG, IMDA launch refreshed Retail Industry Digital Plan to help retailers adopt AI
Meera Pathmanathan - It aims to help retailers address immediate pressures and build resilience for future growth
Starbucks sees sharp drop in Korean sales after 'Tank Day' marketing backlash
The chairman of Shinsegae Group, the operator of Starbucks Korea, asked people not to take out any anger on their employees and frontline staff.
Why China is tightening controls on overseas stock trading
The move has already rattled brokerages and investors, and could reshape how mainland Chinese access foreign market
MUFG explores options for stake in Indonesia’s Danamon including take-private deal: sources
Japan’s biggest financial institution is working with an adviser on a plan
Property group Lee Kim Tah reaches settlement with ex-director in ongoing misconduct probe
Ranamita Chakraborty - This relates to allegations of ex-CapitaLand employees in India accepting bribes, kickbacks from a JV subsidiary
Canberra Drive executive condo site is first to test market after EC rules tightened
Chong Xin Wei - Launch of the tender follows the government rolling out new measures to cool the heated market
Singapore IPO market gathers pace as SGX on track for nearly 30 listings in 2026
Analysts said Singapore’s reputation as a safe haven continues to attract companies seeking to list, amid ongoing trade tensions and global uncertainty.
CPF interest rates to hold steady in Q3
Jermaine Fok - The government will continue providing extra interest on the balances
Johor property old hand KSL readies family handover amid market boom
Tan Ai Leng - The Khoo family’s younger members take on larger roles ahead of at least RM3.8 billion in launches this year
Starbucks Korea top executives apologise as as ‘Tank Day’ promotion boycott hits revenue
Police have launched an investigation after civic groups filed complaints
Singapore woos global wealth with ‘safety’, ‘stability’ and faster private banking account opening
Lin Daoyi - Singapore’s central bank told around 1,500 ultra-high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, family offices and corporate leaders that the “safety, stability, trust and dynamism” that define Singapore’s financial centre offers “significant value”. The remarks were made by Monetary Authori ...
Taiwan overtakes India as world’s fifth-largest stock market
Indian stocks have fallen this year amid record foreign outflows
Ferrari's Luce leads bold leap into uncertain EV era
As rivals slow their shift to electric cars, Ferrari is betting its first fully electric model can still deliver the design, emotion and performance that have long defined the Prancing Horse.
Sri Lanka raises key policy rate by 100 bps to offset Gulf crisis pain
(Corrects to drop extraneous word from paragraph 4)By Uditha JayasingheCOLOMBO, May 26 : Sri Lanka's central bank caught markets off-guard by raising its benchmark policy rate by an outsized 100 basis points on Tuesday, as policymakers looked to stem inflation and sharp pressure on the currency ...
Shares of Sats up 6.4% after posting rise in Q4 earnings
Chloe Lim - Net profit for its quarter ended Mar 31 grows 31% to S$50.7 million
Shares of Sats up over 5% after posting rise in Q4 earnings
Chloe Lim - Net profit for its quarter ended Mar 31 grows 31% to S$50.7 million
Firms must help staff plan as AI job cuts become inevitable, top Australia banker says
Smaller teams and steeper career paths ahead as AI reshapes roles
