Posts by Liam Redmond
Higher-for-longer rates set to hit Asia’s tech sectors as Fed stays the course: analysts
The region’s central banks are likely to take divergent monetary paths independent of the US central bank [SINGAPORE] The US Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates, accompanied by hawkish messaging, means inflation will remain closely watched while Asia’s tech sectors will have to contend with higher-for-longer rates, say analysts. The Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC)…
Read MoreBursa Malaysia raises IPO goals after strong first-half earnings
Net profit climbs 15.2% as the exchange dominates Asean IPOs with 36 new listings [KUALA LUMPUR] Bursa Malaysia has raised its 2026 initial public offering (IPO) market capitalisation target by 21.4 per cent after a strong first-half performance, as robust fundraising activity and higher trading volumes boosted earnings despite rising operating costs. The exchange revised…
Read MoreUBS CEO defends share buybacks, pushes back against capital proposals
Sergio Ermotti says that although the integration of Credit Suisse is ‘practically complete’, the regulatory debate has yet to be resolved Published Thu, Jul 30, 2026 · 04:53 PM [ZURICH] UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti has defended the bank’s new US$3 billion share buyback programme and pushed back against government proposals for the lender to…
Read MoreLloyds reports first-half profit up 23%, outlines AI-driven cost-cutting plans
Published Thu, Jul 30, 2026 · 04:50 PM [LONDON] Lloyds Banking Group reported a better than expected statutory pretax profit of £4.3 billion (US$5.74 billlion) for the first half of 2026, as CEO Charlie Nunn also outlined the lender’s next plan to grow its core businesses and harness technology such as AI to cut costs.…
Read MoreRolls-Royce lifts outlook again as demand soars for engines
It earned more from selling engines for widebody planes, military hardware and artificial intelligence Published Thu, Jul 30, 2026 · 03:59 PM [LONDON] Rolls-Royce Holdings raised its full-year guidance for a second time as the UK’s largest manufacturer earned more from selling engines for widebody planes, military hardware and artificial intelligence. The company expects adjusted…
Read MoreSingapore ETF market hits record S$21 billion AUM in H1 as trading activity doubles: SGX
Gold, Reit ETFs lead asset growth; STI leads equity ETF performance as blue-chip stocks rally [SINGAPORE] Singapore’s exchange-traded fund (ETF) market reached new heights in the first half of 2026, with gold and real estate investment trust (Reit) ETFs leading asset growth. Total assets under management (AUM) across ETFs listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX)…
Read MoreToyota sales fall for fifth month on Iran turmoil, China
Published Thu, Jul 30, 2026 · 02:56 PM [TOKYO] Toyota Motor’s global sales fell slightly after turmoil in the Middle East and a slump in China led the world’s biggest carmaker to record a drop for the fifth month in a row. Global sales in June, including those of subsidiary Daihatsu Motor, fell 1.1 per…
Read MoreAsean gold demand buoyed by Indonesia, Thailand in Q2, bucking broader global sell-off
Singapore’s second-quarter bullion demand climbs 6% year on year amid geopolitical uncertainty, softer prices [SINGAPORE] Investor appetite for gold in Asean remained resilient in the second quarter, defying broader year-on-year declines in global gold demand. Global bar and coin demand for the quarter retreated 3 per cent to 307.1 tonnes in Q2 from a year…
Read MoreAustralian regulator commences court proceedings against Singtel’s Optus
The authority alleges that the telco’s Australian subsidiary breached rules regarding emergency call services on Sep 18, 2025 [SINGAPORE] The wholly owned subsidiary of national telco Singtel, Optus Mobile, was informed on Thursday (Jul 30) that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has filed proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia. The regulator is…
Read MoreKeppel shares tumble 5.1% after firm reports net profit drop of 59%
Group revenue rises 24.6% to S$3.8 billion; firm points to 25% growth in core “New Keppel” operations [SINGAPORE] Shares of Keppel fell as much as 5.1 per cent on Thursday (Jul 30) after the asset manager reported a 59 per cent drop in overall net profit for the first half of its fiscal year. The…
Read MoreChina’s Zhongji InnoLight slips on Hong Kong debut after city’s biggest share sale in 2026
Firms have raised US$33.8 billion from new listings in Hong Kong so far this year Published Thu, Jul 30, 2026 · 10:45 AM [HONG KONG/SINGAPORE] Shares of Zhongji Innolight declined in their Hong Kong debut on Thursday (Jul 30), after the Chinese maker of data centre optical parts raised HK$53.4 billion (US$6.8 billion) in the…
Read MoreSingtel confirms talks for Optus stake sale, cautions on deal certainty
[SINGAPORE] Singtel on Thursday (Jul 30) confirmed it is in discussions to sell a stake in wholly owned Australian unit, Optus, though the Singapore telecom giant cautioned investors that a transaction is far from guaranteed. Responding to recent media reports, Singtel said that it is engaging with interested parties. The company reiterated its strategic shift…
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