Posts by Liam Redmond
China’s big banks post flat 2025 profit on margin squeeze
The lenders continue to suffer deteriorating lending margins and rising loan impairments Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 06:39 PM [BEIJING] China’s largest state-owned lenders reported flat earnings for 2025, as the industry grapples with government mandates to support a cooling economy and a protracted squeeze on profit margins. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China,…
Read MoreWith ‘no place to hide’ traders spend sleepless nights as Iran war roils markets
[SINGAPORE/SHANGHAI/NEW YORK] For Wang Yapei, it is all about sleeping well at night. The Shanghai-based fund manager has cut positions aggressively in the face of a steep sell-off that has torn through global markets as the war in the Middle East rages on. “I don’t like rollercoaster rides … the opening was ugly, so I…
Read MoreSingapore stocks rebound on Friday, STI up 0.2%
[SINGAPORE] Singapore stocks ended higher on Friday (Mar 27) as regional indices were mixed. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.2 per cent or 10.42 points to finish at 4,898.18. Meanwhile, the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index lost 0.7 per cent or 10.72 points to 1,448.97. Within the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index, UOB…
Read MoreLow Tuck Kwong sues Peter Kwee for A$9.6 million over alleged material defects
This pertains to a S$32.2 million agreement to buy out Kwee’s shares in three companies that own properties [SINGAPORE] Indonesian coal mining billionaire Low Tuck Kwong and his company are suing motoring tycoon Peter Kwee and another individual for A$9.6 million (S$8.5 million) over alleged material defects, after buying out their shares in a group…
Read MoreNovartis to buy US-based biotech firm Excellergy for up to US$2 billion
Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 04:55 PM [ZURICH] Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Friday (Mar 27) it will buy California-based biotech company Excellergy in a deal worth up to US$2 billion, the second sizeable acquisition it has announced in as many weeks. Under the agreement, Novartis said it would pay up to US$2 billion…
Read MoreRHB downgrades S-Reits to ‘neutral’ as Middle East conflict dims hope for rate cuts
The brokerage recommends investing in Singapore-centric S-Reits to ride out market volatility [SINGAPORE] RHB downgraded its call on the Singapore real estate investment trust (S-Reit) sector to “neutral” from “overweight” on Thursday (Mar 26), citing “dimmed” rate-cut expectations due to the ongoing Iran war. Despite Singapore remaining a safe haven with its real estate sector…
Read MoreSpaceX lines up April investor briefings as IPO questions swirl
The company is set to file confidentially as soon as this month for an initial public offering that could raise as much as US$75 billion Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 04:23 PM [STARBASE, Texas] SpaceX is telling prospective IPO investors to expect briefings in April from company executives, according to people familiar with the…
Read MorePop Mart launches largest ever buyback after record stock plunge
The buyback helped stabilise sentiment on Friday, with shares rising as much as 4.1 per cent Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 01:35 PM POP Mart International Group undertook its largest buyback ever in a move to bolster confidence after a record stock plunge spurred by concerns over its reliance on Labubu dolls for growth.…
Read MoreSingapore ramps up push to become Asia’s gold trading hub amid rising investor demand
Plans are underway to develop gold-related capital market products to facilitate price discovery and build liquidity [SINGAPORE] Singapore is stepping up efforts to position itself as a regional gold trading hub, as authorities move to build market infrastructure and capture growing investor demand for bullion trading and storage. Plans are underway to develop gold-related capital…
Read MoreSingapore ramps up push to become Asia-Pacific’s gold trading hub amid rising investor demand
Plans are underway to develop gold-related capital market products to facilitate price discovery and build liquidity [SINGAPORE] Singapore is stepping up efforts to position itself as a regional gold trading hub, as authorities move to build market infrastructure and capture growing investor demand for bullion trading and storage. Plans are underway to develop gold-related capital…
Read MoreSingapore petrol prices dip after weeks of increases fuelled by Iran war
Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 11:41 AM [SINGAPORE] After climbing steadily for three weeks, petrol prices in Singapore have begun to ease, with pump rates dipping over the past two days as oil markets reacted to shifting signals from the Middle East conflict. The pullback follows a sustained run-up triggered by the war in…
Read MoreNikkei poised for fourth weekly loss as Mideast war spurs risk-off mood
Published Fri, Mar 27, 2026 · 10:31 AM [TOKYO] Japan’s Nikkei share average fell on Friday, and was on track for a fourth straight weekly decline, as fading hopes for an imminent ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran dampened market optimism and pushed investors into risk-off mode. The Nikkei was down 1 per cent…
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