Posts by Liam Redmond
Asean’s biodiesel push fuels palm oil rally, but will SGX-listed players gain?
Higher crude palm oil prices support upstream plantation earnings, but could be a double-edged sword for integrated operators: analysts [SINGAPORE] A crude oil supply shortfall from the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz has accelerated biodiesel mandates in South-east Asia, driving up crude palm oil (CPO) prices and lifting Singapore Exchange-listed plantation stocks. Biodiesel…
Read MoreAirlines tackle fuel cost surge with price hikes, outlook cuts
A SURGE in jet fuel prices from US$85-$90 to US$150-$200 per barrel amid the US-Israeli war on Iran has blindsided the aviation industry, where fuel accounts for up to a quarter of operating expenses, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise their financial outlooks. Below is a list of how airlines are responding, in alphabetical…
Read MoreIndia explores steps to mobilise US dollar inflows as rupee slides, sources say
The currency is down by 5.5% in 2026, sliding to an all-time low of 95.33 per US dollar on Apr 30 Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 08:28 PM [MUMBAI] India’s central bank is studying ways to mobilise US dollar inflows to bolster its foreign-exchange buffers and cushion rising pressure on the rupee from a…
Read MoreSingapore stocks rise on Monday; STI gains 0.2%
Across the broader market, gainers beat losers 416 to 221, after 3.4 billion securities worth S$2.1 billion change hands [SINGAPORE] Singapore stocks ended higher on Monday (May 4). The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.2 per cent or 11.62 points to finish at 4,924.31. Venture Corporation led the gainers on Singapore’s blue-chip index, rising…
Read MoreCross-border taxi bookings start on Grab app; fares vary based on time of day, distance
Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 06:51 PM [SINGAPORE] Grab’s users in Singapore are now able to book cross-border taxis from anywhere on the island to Johor through its app, although prices appear to be higher than that of a street-hail ride from Ban San Street Terminal in Bugis. Through the feature, which was rolled out gradually…
Read MoreMAS partners banking industry to tap AI, machine learning to combat financial crime
[SINGAPORE] The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Monday (May 4) said it will harness artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to combat financial crime. To enhance scam-detection capabilities, the central bank will work with partners in the banking industry, the Government Technology Agency of Singapore, as well as the Singapore Police Force. MAS is…
Read MoreBarclays becomes latest brokerage to bet on no Fed rate cuts in 2026
Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 04:08 PM BARCLAYS on Monday joined a growing list of brokerages to bet on no policy easing from the US Federal Reserve this year, citing prolonged high energy prices linked to the Iran war that are likely to keep inflation elevated. The British brokerage had previously forecast a 25-basis-point…
Read MoreEuropean shares steady as investors assess Middle East progress; automakers slide
Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 03:45 PM EUROPEAN shares were muted on Monday, as investors watched for signs of progress in Middle East talks, while European automakers were under pressure following a potential US tariff hike. US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would raise tariffs on cars and trucks from the European…
Read MoreSamsung Biologics estimates US$100 million strike loss as unions press demands
About half of the company’s workforce of 2,861 employees have been on strike since Apr 28 Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 02:23 PM [SEOUL] Samsung Biologics estimated on Monday (May 4) that a strike by its union over pay has cost the contract drug manufacturer about 150 billion won (S$130 million) so far, marking…
Read MoreYen suddenly jumps on talk of possible intervention
Japanese officials have so far declined to comment on whether they have intervened Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 01:34 PM — Updated Mon, May 4, 2026 · 01:46 PM [SINGAPORE] The yen jumped abruptly against the US dollar on Monday (May 4), fuelling speculation of renewed Japanese buying to stem the currency’s long-running slide.…
Read MoreBlueSG relaunches as Flexar, pivots to asset-light model
[SINGAPORE] Point-to-point car-sharing service BlueSG’s rebrand as Flexar officially launched on Monday (May 4) with a strategy that abandons its pure-electric, fully owned fleet model in a bid to reduce capital intensity. Following a “strategic pause” of the original BlueSG service, the newly formed entity is shifting to an “asset-light” approach, it said. Flexar will…
Read MoreAsian stocks near record high on tech corporate earnings as US dollar dips
Published Mon, May 4, 2026 · 11:47 AM ASIAN shares traded near record highs on Monday (May 4) as stronger-than-expected corporate earnings from technology companies kept the sector buoyant, while oil fluctuated amid mixed signals from the Middle East. MSCI’s Asian equities gauge climbed 1.5 per cent to near its all-time high set on Feb…
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