Posts by Liam Redmond
Nike’s China stumble exposes execution gaps
Insiders say top-down decision-making limits responsiveness to local market needs Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 05:41 PM [SHANGHAI] Nike’s troubles in China are being laid bare as operational missteps collide with fierce domestic competition and a cooling consumer, revealing execution flaws at the US sportswear giant beyond just a backlash against foreign brands. Greater…
Read MoreApac airlines fly 9% more passengers in February, but Iran war clouds outlook
The robust growth is supported by increased leisure travel during the Chinese New Year festive period [SINGAPORE] Asia-Pacific airlines carried 33 million international passengers in February 2026, an increase of 9 per cent year on year, according to preliminary traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) on Monday (Mar 30). International…
Read MoreRHB initiates ‘buy’ on iFast on rising Asia-Pacific wealth management demand
The brokerage’s S$12.20 target represents a 36.7% increase from the group’s closing price on Mar 26 [SINGAPORE] RHB has initiated a “buy” on iFast , given its view that the wealth management and digital banking firm is a “key beneficiary” of Asia-Pacific’s growing wealth management market. The brokerage on Friday (Mar 27) set its target…
Read MoreSingapore investors buy the dip, bucking global gold sell-off: OCBC, bullion dealers
Strong investor participation in Singapore and wider Asia suggests metal’s long-term role as a hedge continues [SINGAPORE] While gold’s safe-haven role broadly gave way to a scramble for cash amid the escalating Middle East conflict, opportunistic buyers in Singapore are bucking the trend. Rather than fleeing the market, investors in the city-state are using the…
Read MoreIndia’s boldest currency move in years brings brief rupee relief
RBI flexibility falls as FX reserves drop in March to defend the rupee following the Iran conflict Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 03:49 PM [MUMBAI] India’s most dramatic step in more than a decade to curb speculation in the foreign-exchange market delivered fleeting gains, with an initial jump in the rupee rapidly fading, reflecting…
Read MoreGold steady as softer dollar offsets fading Fed rate-cut hopes
Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 01:37 PM GOLD prices held steady on a volatile Monday session, with a softer dollar meeting a surge in energy prices that fuelled inflation worries and further dimmed expectations for US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year. Spot gold edged lower 0.1 per cent to US$4,488.46 per ounce…
Read MoreCompetition watchdog seeks public feedback on SP Mobility’s proposals regarding ChargEco acquisition
SP Mobility offers commitments that include freezing charging rates at pre-acquisition levels [SINGAPORE] The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) is seeking public feedback on a series of commitments proposed by SP Mobility to address antitrust concerns surrounding its acquisition of ChargEco, which is also an electric vehicle (EV) charging point operator. The consultation,…
Read MoreEnd of an era: Fitbit Singapore winds up as Google completes takeover of fitness tracker brand
Move marks a curtain call for Fitbit Singapore about 11 years after it was registered here in February 2015 Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 12:37 PM [SINGAPORE] Fitness tracking pioneer Fitbit is set to vanish as a standalone entity in Singapore after its local unit was placed under voluntary liquidation, marking the end of its corporate presence here more…
Read MoreAustralia to halve tax on petrol to bring down costs in wake of Iran war
Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 10:53 AM [SYDNEY] Australia will halve the tax on fuel and diesel for three months in a push to bring down costs that have surged due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday. The halving of the tax, known as the fuel excise,…
Read MoreAustralia to halve tax on fuel, underwrite spot cargoes
Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 10:53 AM [SYDNEY] Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday (Mar 30) the government would halve the excise on fuel and diesel and remove the heavy road user charge for three months to help households cope with a surge in costs driven by the Iran war. Halving the tax would…
Read MoreHong Kong IPO revival hits snags, raising stakes for big deals
Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 10:40 AM HONG Kong’s relentless surge in share sales over the past year is beginning to encounter headwinds, potentially slowing deal momentum and raising the stakes for a wave of jumbo transactions in the pipeline. Listings have raised more than US$13 billion in the first three months, notching their…
Read MoreStocks dive in Asia, Brent crude heads for record monthly rise
Published Mon, Mar 30, 2026 · 09:35 AM [SYDNEY] Stock markets slumped in Asia on Monday as investors dug in for a protracted Gulf conflict that already has oil prices heading for a record monthly rise, bringing a spike in inflation and the risk of recession to much of the globe. The Financial Times on…
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