Posts by Liam Redmond
Retail investors are net buyers of S‑Reits in March
[SINGAPORE] S‑Reits, as measured by the iEdge S‑Reit Index, slipped in the first quarter of 2026, as geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment. The index rose slightly in January, but declined 7 per cent in March amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, leading to negative total returns of 6.4 per cent in Q1 2026. …
Read MoreBuyback consideration in first quarter surpasses S$500 million
Buybacks can enhance key financial metrics such as earnings per share and return on equity [SINGAPORE] Companies often repurchase shares to support employee compensation plans or to deploy surplus capital more effectively. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority maintains that buybacks can enhance key financial metrics such as earnings per share and return on equity, take…
Read MoreUS doubles Hormuz guarantees to US$40 billion with new partners
Published Sat, Apr 4, 2026 · 02:30 PM [NEW YORK] The US is doubling, to US$40 billion, its commitment to provide reinsurance guarantees to ships willing to travel through the Strait of Hormuz with the addition of new insurance partners, including AIG and Berkshire Hathaway. The move announced Friday (Apr 3) is the latest US…
Read MoreNasa astronauts reach safe orbit in historic moon mission
[AUSTIN] Nasa’s crew of astronauts launched to space and reached a stable orbit, kicking off a landmark journey that will take them closer to the lunar surface than anyone has been in more than 50 years. The initial phase of the 10-day mission to lap the moon, a multibillion-dollar feat about a decade in the…
Read MoreUS bonds fall as strong jobs data undermines Fed cut outlook
Published Sat, Apr 4, 2026 · 12:33 PM [NEW YORK] Bond traders ended the week betting that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates steady this year, on signs of a stabilising US labour market and uncertainty about the economic impact of war in the Middle East. Treasuries fell after better-than-expected March employment data, sending…
Read MoreMusk asks SpaceX IPO banks to buy Grok AI subscriptions, NYT reports
Published Sat, Apr 4, 2026 · 10:30 AM [BENGALURU] Elon Musk is requiring banks and other advisers working on SpaceX’s planned initial public offering (IPO) to buy subscriptions to Grok, his artificial intelligence chatbot, The New York Times reported on Friday (Apr 3), citing people familiar with the matter. Some banks have agreed to spend…
Read MoreHow discounts, deals are helping petrol players counter Cnergy’s low pump prices
Listed prices show gaps of more than S$1 a litre, but discount combinations can bring that down to cents [SINGAPORE] Singapore’s retail petrol market may be facing renewed competitive pressure following the entry of Cnergy, but a full-blown price war – where players slash pump prices to match the newcomer – is unlikely, said observers.…
Read MoreThai PM cracks down on ‘evil’ fuel smugglers to protect supply
Published Fri, Apr 3, 2026 · 06:42 PM [BANGKOK] Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is cracking down on fuel smugglers whom he called “evil” as authorities tighten enforcement to protect domestic supply. The move follows reports of illicit fuel shipments from Thailand into Cambodia, which has been largely cut off from Thai supplies. Anutin, whose…
Read MorePayPal transformed digital payments. Why the California fintech giant is now struggling
PayPal, once the cutting-edge trailblazer of digital payments, is struggling to cash in on consumer clicks like it used to. The San José fintech giant is losing market share to competitors and had to swap out its leadership recently as its shares plunged, and it scrambled for a faster fix. When online shoppers reach the…
Read MoreMicrosoft charts US$10 billion of outlays in AI-eager Japan
It will invest in cybersecurity partnerships and train a million AI engineers through 2029 Published Fri, Apr 3, 2026 · 05:34 PM [TOKYO] Microsoft unveiled a four-year, US$10 billion investment package for Japan, a major pillar of its Asia-wide artificial intelligence push. The early OpenAI backer will develop cloud and AI infrastructure alongside Sakura Internet…
Read MoreBOJ keeps rate‑hike door open even as Iran war squeezes firms
The degree and timing of future increases will depend on economic, price and financial conditions Published Fri, Apr 3, 2026 · 03:45 PM [TOKYO] The Bank of Japan will keep raising interest rates if its economic forecasts hold, a senior central bank official said, reinforcing a tightening bias even as fresh surveys show firms feeling…
Read MoreHedge funds walloped by a month of turmoil sparked by war
Published Fri, Apr 3, 2026 · 03:43 PM [LONDON] Some of the world’s biggest hedge funds known for delivering steady returns lost money in March as the war in the Middle East roiled markets across energy, bonds and equities and forced traders to unwind crowded positions. Multi-strategy hedge funds ranging from ExodusPoint Capital Management to…
Read More