Posts by Liam Redmond
Australia spending holds up as war drives oil spike, CBA says
The figures show Australia’s economy was on a strong footing before the central bank began raising interest rates Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 02:51 PM [SYDNEY] Australian consumer spending has held up in the face of the Middle East conflict and the resulting surge in oil prices, the nation’s top lender Commonwealth Bank of…
Read MoreGeo Energy diversifies into high-value coking coal with new Indonesia mine stake
The deal is for a 50.6% stake in Mutiara Hitam Sukses, which owns mine operator Harfa Taruna Mandiri [SINGAPORE] Geo Energy Resources on Wednesday (Apr 1) said it has signed a binding term sheet to acquire a majority stake in an Indonesian coking coal concession holder. The proposed deal is for a 50.6 per cent…
Read MoreNational standard for EV charging upgraded to include new tech such as wireless systems
Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 02:11 PM [SINGAPORE] The standard for electric vehicle (EV) charging will be upgraded from Wednesday (April 1) to pave the way for the safe operation and adoption of new technology, such as wireless charging. The existing Technical Reference 25, in place since 2010, will give way to the Singapore Standard…
Read MoreOCBC joins DBS in S$100 billion market capitalisation club as shares hit record high
[SINGAPORE] A record share price for OCBC has sent the bank’s market capitalisation past the psychological S$100 billion mark, making it one of only two Singapore-listed companies to join the exclusive club. Shares of the bank rose as much as 3.1 per cent on Wednesday, sending the counter to a peak of S$22.65 in the…
Read MoreOCBC breaches S$100 billion market cap as shares hit record high
[SINGAPORE] A record share price for OCBC has propelled the bank’s market capitalisation past the S$100 billion mark, making it one of only two Singapore-listed companies in the exclusive club. Shares of the bank rose as much as 3.1 per cent on Wednesday (Apr 1), rising to a peak of S$22.65 in the first few…
Read MoreSpaceX lines up 21 banks for mega IPO, code-named project Apex
The public offering, expected in June, is estimated to value the rocket company controlled by Elon Musk at US$1.75 trillion Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 01:34 PM SPACEX is working with at least 21 banks on its blockbuster initial public offering, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday (Mar 31), one of the…
Read MoreGold ticks up as dollar slips on Mideast de-escalation hopes
Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 12:22 PM Gold prices edged higher on Wednesday to their highest in nearly two weeks, supported by a weaker dollar as US President Donald Trump said the war with Iran could wind down within two to three weeks. Spot gold rose 0.4 per cent to US$4,685.79 per ounce by 0228 GMT, having…
Read MoreIndonesia offers three-year timeline to lift public float to 15%
Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 11:33 AM INDONESIA will give some listed firms up to three years to raise their public float to at least 15 per cent as part of reforms to boost transparency. Companies with a market value of under 5 trillion rupiah (S$379 million) will have to meet the minimum level…
Read MoreBitcoin holds gains in Asia after five-month losing streak ends
Published Wed, Apr 1, 2026 · 11:00 AM BITCOIN was holding onto gains early Wednesday in Asia after snapping a five-month losing streak in March, buoyed along with other risk assets by US President Donald Trump’s intention to end the war on Iran within weeks. The original cryptocurrency was little changed just above US$68,000 at…
Read MoreSingapore’s AI ambitions put telcos to the test, raise ‘dumb pipe’ risk
Singtel outage highlights strain on infrastructure and returns as data demand outpaces monetisation [SINGAPORE] Singtel’s recent mechanical fault that triggered widespread outages in Singapore has cast a spotlight on a potential weakness in the Republic’s artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions. The issue is no longer just about network capacity, but whether the telecommunications providers underpinning the…
Read MoreNew IP riders kick in with lower premiums, but higher out-of-pocket costs
Insurers say out-of-pocket costs remain predictable and manageable. [SINGAPORE] New Integrated Shield Plan (IP) riders rolling out on Wednesday (Apr 1) will cut premiums by up to 80 per cent in some cases, but shift more healthcare costs to policyholders through higher co-payments and deductibles. The changes follow government intervention announced last November, where authorities…
Read MoreCathay Cineplexes operator mm2 Asia’s 1.9-billion share placement falls through
[SINGAPORE] A S$14 million fundraising plan by beleaguered Cathay Cineplexes operator mm2 Asia via the placement of some 1.9 billion shares has fallen through, the entertainment company said on Wednesday (Apr 1). The placement agreement, which aimed to offer shares at a minimum of S$0.008 apiece, “has lapsed and terminated and is of no further…
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