Posts by Liam Redmond
Tencent seizes momentum in China agentic AI race against Alibaba
IN CHINA’S hyper-competitive artificial intelligence (AI) arena, Alibaba Group has outpaced Tencent with the sheer speed of rollouts and user growth. But the latter firm is now seizing the initiative as agentic AI fever grips the country. Tencent, in just the past week, introduced several signature products aimed at tapping a national enthusiasm for AI…
Read MoreAT1 bond market reopens with HSBC raising US$2.5 billion
The firm is the largest issuer of AT1s globally with more than US$23 billion of the deeply subordinated bonds outstanding Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · 09:01 AM [LONDON] HSBC Holdings sold the first major-currency Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds since the Iran conflict began, reopening the risky corner of the credit market. The lender…
Read MoreIndonesia tightens rules on dollar-buying as war spurs outflows
Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · 08:02 AM [JAKARTA] Indonesia’s central bank tightened foreign-exchange regulations as policymakers in South-east Asia’s biggest economy try to soften the impact of the Middle East war on inflation and the rupiah. Bank Indonesia (BI) also kept its benchmark BI-Rate at 4.75 per cent on Tuesday (Mar 17), as predicted…
Read MoreLive Nation ticket director downplays ‘robbing them blind’ chats
The lawsuit by over 30 US states allege the company uses its various businesses to reinforce its dominance over live events Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · 07:02 AM A LIVE Nation Entertainment ticketing director, who once denigrated fans in an internal chat as “so stupid” for being willing to pay high fees for VIP add-ons at concerts, minimised his…
Read MoreEuropean shares gain ahead of key central bank decisions
Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · 06:02 AM EUROPEAN shares edged up on Tuesday, extending a calm start to the week, as investors battered by a selloff amid the Middle East conflict awaited key central bank signals to help them assess fresh bets. Equities in the region remain sensitive to gains in oil prices, with the…
Read MoreAmazon speeds up deliveries in L.A. and elsewhere with one-hour option
Amazon is offering one-hour deliveries to hundreds of U.S. cities and towns including parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The e-commerce giant said that it is also offering three-hour deliveries in more than 2,000 cities and towns. It plans to expand these options to more places in the coming months, the company said in…
Read MoreQualcomm buying back US$20 billion in shares, boosts dividend
Published Tue, Mar 17, 2026 · 11:24 PM [NEW YORK] Qualcomm, the largest maker of smartphone processors, plans to buy back another US$20 billion worth of shares and is raising its quarterly cash dividend as art of a broader effort to bolster shareholder returns while diversifying its business. The chipmaker’s board has approved the new…
Read MoreBank of England moves to strengthen lenders’ crisis readiness
It aims to improve lenders’ ability to convert assets into cash during stress events Published Tue, Mar 17, 2026 · 11:13 PM [LONDON] The Bank of England on Tuesday (Mar 17) set out a proposed new framework for banks’ liquidity that aims to improve their ability to convert assets into cash during stress events. The…
Read MorePrivatisation offer for Sen Yue Holdings extended to Apr 14
[SINGAPORE] The closing date for the offer to take waste management company Sen Yue Holdings private has been extended to 5.30 pm on Apr 14, the company announced in a bourse filing on Tuesday (Mar 17). The offer, priced at S$0.008 apiece, was originally set to close on Mar 31. The offeror is Cenvios Holdings,…
Read MoreWall St opens higher as investors weigh energy costs before Fed call
Published Tue, Mar 17, 2026 · 09:48 PM [NEW YORK] Wall Street’s main indexes opened higher on Tuesday (Mar 17) with financial stocks in the lead, while investors weighed the impact of the Middle East conflict on energy costs, putting inflation risks back in focus ahead of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting. The Dow Jones…
Read MoreTang Organization to conduct strategic review of Suntec Reit
[SINGAPORE] Tang Organization, the new sponsor of Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit), on Tuesday (Mar 17) said it plans to “undertake a comprehensive strategic review” of the trust’s portfolio. This follows its takeover of the manager ESR Trust Management (Suntec) from ESR Asset Management, which was completed on Tuesday. The review aims to “strengthen…
Read MoreIndonesia eyes oil purchases from Russia
Published Tue, Mar 17, 2026 · 09:16 PM [JAKARTA] Indonesia is looking to purchase oil from Russia to meet its domestic supply needs, local media reported on Tuesday (Mar 17), citing the energy minister. Bahlil Lahadalia said the move was considered after the rise of crude oil prices following conflict in the Middle East and…
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