Insurer AIG posts higher quarterly profit on underwriting strength
[BENGALURU] American International Group (AIG) reported a higher second-quarter profit on Wednesday (Aug 6), powered by strong underwriting gains and higher returns on investments. Insurers such as AIG and Travelers Cos are benefiting as businesses and individuals have maintained spending on insurance against the backdrop of economic uncertainty. “We continued to make significant progress on…
Read MoreSaudis raise crude prices to Asia after Opec+ adds barrels
[SINGAPORE] Saudi Arabia raised crude prices for a second consecutive month, signalling confidence in demand for its barrels as Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (Opec+) continues to ramp up supply. State producer Saudi Aramco will raise the premium for Arab Light crude to Asia by US$1 a barrel for shipments in…
Read MoreUOB Q2 profit falls 6% to S$1.34 billion; misses expectations
Declares interim dividend of S$0.85 per share; a second tranche of the lender’s S$0.50 per share special dividend will also be paid out [SINGAPORE] UOB’s net profit for the second quarter fell as net interest income eased on lower margins. Net profit for the three months ended Jun 30, 2025, stood at S$1.34 billion, compared…
Read MoreUOB Q2 profit falls 6% to S$1.34 billion
A second tranche of the lender’s 50 cents special dividend will also be paid out [SINGAPORE] UOB’s net profit for the second quarter fell as net interest income eased on lower margins. Net profit for the three months ended Jun 30, 2025, stood at S$1.34 billion, compared with S$1.43 billion in the same period a…
Read MoreDBS Q2 profit rises 1% to S$2.82 billion
[SINGAPORE] DBS’ net profit for the three months ended Jun 30, 2025 rose 1 per cent to S$2.82 billion, compared with S$2.79 billion from the year-ago period. Net interest income was higher, supported by strong deposit growth and proactive balance sheet hedging; fee income and treasury customer sales rose to their second highest quarterly levels,…
Read MoreApple to invest additional US$100 billion in US
[WASHINGTON] Apple will invest an additional US$100 billion in the United States, taking its total pledge to US$600 billion over the next four years, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (Aug 6). Trump announced the increased commitment at the White House alongside the tech giant’s CEO Tim Cook, calling it “the largest investment Apple…
Read MoreCitigroup reshuffles rates business with a heightened focus on Japan
Published Thu, Aug 7, 2025 · 06:28 AM [LONDON] Citigroup is reorganising its regional rates businesses in a move that includes a sharper focus on the non-linear market in Japan. Thomas Reich, who had co-run non-linear rates trading, will now focus solely on Japan, according to an internal memo by Deirdre Dunn, the firm’s head…
Read MoreOil prices slide to 8-week low as US-Russia talks stir sanction uncertainty
[NEW YORK] Oil prices slid about 1 per cent to an eight-week low on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump’s remarks about progress in talks with Moscow created uncertainty on whether the US would impose new sanctions on Russia. Brent crude futures fell 75 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to settle at US$66.89 a barrel, while US…
Read MoreEurope: Shares end flat as healthcare stocks weigh after Trump’s tariff threat
EUROPEAN shares closed flat on Wednesday, surrendering early session gains, as healthcare stocks felt the pinch from US President Donald Trump‘s latest threat to impose higher tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed 0.06 per cent lower at 541.07, breaking its two-day winning streak despite starting the session on a positive note. Healthcare stocks…
Read MoreTrump plans 100% tariff on chips with carveout for Apple, others
[WASHINGTON] US Donald Trump said that he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on imports that include semiconductors, though he would exempt companies moving production back to the United States, as Apple CEO Tim Cook and the president announced a fresh US$100 billion investment plan from the Oval Office. “We are going to be…
Read MoreUS: Stocks rise as Apple surges
Published Thu, Aug 7, 2025 · 06:13 AM [NEW YORK] Wall Street stocks rose on Wednesday with Apple and most other large tech companies rallying as markets largely shrugged off US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff hikes. Apple piled on more than five per cent after White House officials said the tech giant plans an additional US$100…
Read MoreAndré Aciman on Reading—and Misreading—Emotions
Each of the novellas that make up André Aciman’s new book, “Room on the Sea,” picks apart the intricacies of how people comprehend the feelings of others—or fail to. In this, they share something with many of the “Call Me by Your Name” author’s favorite novels. “The fundamental trait of the novels that I like…
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