Posts by Liam Redmond
Singapore stocks gain ground on Wednesday amid mixed regional showing; STI up 1.7%
Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 06:42 PM [SINGAPORE] Singapore stocks ended higher on Wednesday (Jul 29) amid a mixed regional showing. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) gained 1.7 per cent or 97.08 points to finish at 5,713.19. Jardine Matheson led the gainers on Singapore’s blue-chip index, rising 6.1 per cent or US$3.88 to…
Read MoreOpenAI bot’s rogue attack rattles industry leaders, policymakers and consumers
What will happen to the world if artificial intelligence bots break free from our control and act independently? While it’s been a troubling conundrum addressed by AI experts and Hollywood science-fiction scriptwriters for decades, it may have just happened. OpenAI said last week that it temporarily lost control of its AI in what some worry…
Read MoreOnce high-flying PayPal becomes a takeover target as it attempts a turnaround
Digital payments giant PayPal was soaring high five years ago, riding the surge in online shopping after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped people’s buying habits. Now the San José fintech company has reportedly become a takeover target as it tries to get more people to click on the PayPal button to purchase items amid fierce competition.…
Read MoreNomura’s Q1 profit jumps 39%, boosted by markets
Its trading business benefited from volatile markets and record high stock prices Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 04:37 PM [TOKYO] Nomura Holdings booked a rise of 39 per cent in first-quarter net income as its trading business benefited from volatile markets and record high stock prices boosted wealth management fees, it said on Wednesday(Jul…
Read MoreHermès sales rise as brand shows resilience during luxury slump
Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 04:06 PM [PARIS] Hermès sales rose in line with expectations as the Birkin bag maker weathered a downturn in the demand for luxury goods better than its peers. Revenue rose 6.7 per cent at constant exchange rates in the second quarter to about 4.1 billion euros (US$4.7 billion), Hermès…
Read MoreDanone keeps its guidance as Q2 sales beat expectations
Danone’s recurring operating income for the first half of 2026 was 1.854 billion euros (US$2.11 billion) Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 03:20 PM [PARIS] Danone expressed confidence about the second half of 2026 after its second-quarter sales beat forecasts, due to a recovery at its specialised nutrition unit that had been hit by a…
Read MoreUBS logs forecast-beating quarterly profit, flags US$3 billion in new buybacks by end-June
Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 01:26 PM [ZURICH] UBS booked a 17 per cent jump in second-quarter profit on Wednesday (Jul 29), ahead of expectations, and said it plans to buy back shares worth US$3 billion by the middle of next year at the latest. Of that amount, it intends to repurchase at least…
Read MoreAirbus A350 jet flies 24 hours nonstop from Australia to France in record-breaking flight
Airbus said the aircraft remained in the air for 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,075 km without stopping Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 12:51 PM AIRBUS completed a marathon test flight lasting more than 24 hours that triggered a surge in online tracking, when an A350 jet being developed for record-beating commercial flights…
Read MoreStanChart’s first-half profit rises 9%
Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 12:30 PM [HONG KONG/LONDON] Standard Chartered reported on Wednesday (Jul 29) first-half pretax profit rose 9 per cent, bolstered by growing wealth, markets and global banking revenue at the emerging markets-focused lender. StanChart, which earns most of its revenue in Asia and Africa, said pretax profit for the first…
Read MorePop Mart brings Labubu to the dessert table in global bakery push
Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 11:30 AM POP Mart, the Beijing-based maker of collectible “blind box” toys including the toothy-grinned Labubu, is diversifying its business by opening its first international bakery in Singapore. The toymaker is turning its best-known characters into three-dimensional edible treats, from black sesame Labubu popsicles to double cheesecake Molly. The…
Read MoreAustralia’s inflation undershoots forecasts, spurring traders to pare RBA hike bets
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised the key interest rate three times this year so far Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 10:33 AM [SYDNEY] Australian consumer price inflation slowed a tick in the June quarter as fuel costs eased from peaks, while core inflation undershot forecasts and lessened pressure for a further hike…
Read MoreBank Indonesia committed to strengthening efforts to stabilise rupiah
The rupiah has weakened past 18,000 per US dollar after the resignation of BI governor Perry Warjiyo on Jul 27 Published Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 09:22 AM [JAKARTA] Indonesia’s central bank said in a statement on Wednesday (Jul 29) that its efforts to stabilise the rupiah will be strengthened in order to achieve inflation…
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