Singapore stocks end Friday in the red amid mixed Asia markets; STI down 0.4%
[SINGAPORE] Local stocks ended its rally to close lower on Friday (Aug 8), following a mixed performance across Asian markets as investors navigated a week marked by geopolitical uncertainties and corporate earnings. The blue-chip Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.4 per cent or 18.32 points at 4,239.83. Across the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers…
Read MoreUOB-Kay Hian posts 12.9% lower net profit for H1
Earnings per share for the half-year fell to S$0.106, from S$0.1264 in the year-ago period [SINGAPORE] UOB-KAY Hian posted a 12.9 per cent year-on-year dip in its net profit to S$99.2 million for the half year of FY2025 ended June, from S$113.9 million for the year-ago period, as net foreign exchange loss and higher commission…
Read MoreHong Leong Finance H1 net profit down 38.7% to S$32.2 million on compressed net interest margins
[SINGAPORE] Hong Leong Finance posted a 38.7 per cent year-on-year fall in net profit to S$32.2 million for the six months ended Jun 30, 2025. This was driven by compressed net interest margins, at 1.3 per cent, as declining interest yields on loans and liquid assets outpaced the reduction in deposit costs from falling benchmark…
Read MoreAlbanian-American Model Elton Ilirjani Pioneers “Zero Gravity” Experience at Expo 2025 Osaka
OSAKA, JAPAN – The highly anticipated Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, themed “Designing Future Society for our Lives,” is showcasing groundbreaking innovations that blend art, technology, and human experience. Among the most talked-about exhibits is the “Zero Gravity Box,” a collaborative project featuring acclaimed Japanese artist and fashion designer Naoko Tosa, and the Albanian-American model, entrepreneur,…
Read MoreChina July car sales growth slows on weak hybrid demand, price war curbs
[SHANGHAI] China’s car sales growth slowed in July partly due to weaker demand for hybrids, as regulators in the world’s biggest auto market crack down on a price war that has bruised the industry. Sales rose 6.9 per cent from July 2024 to 1.85 million cars, down from an 18.6 per cent year-on-year increase in…
Read MoreChina tells brokers to stop touting stablecoins to cool frenzy: sources
[BEIJING] China told local brokers and other bodies to stop publishing research or hold seminars to promote stablecoins, seeking to rein in the asset class to avoid instability. Some leading brokerages and think tanks in late July and earlier this month received guidance from financial regulators, urging them to cancel seminars and halt disseminating research…
Read MoreIReit Global sees risk of losing potential lawsuit as ‘remote’, takes no action for now
[SINGAPORE] The manager of IReit Global does not plan to take any steps to mitigate the impact of a potential lawsuit from its main tenant for now, citing the “remote” chance of the case succeeding. If the dispute proceeds, however, it could take “several years” to resolve. The manager of the Europe-focused real estate investment…
Read MoreSoftBank shares hit record high on AI prospects
[TOKYO] Shares in SoftBank Group jumped more than 13 per cent to a record high on Friday (Aug 8) in a show of investor support for the Japanese technology investor’s AI push after first quarter profit beat expectations. SoftBank’s share price hit 14,205 yen at the close of morning trading and finished the day up…
Read MoreSingapore semiconductor firms are exposed to planned US tariff, but impact may vary: analysts
[SINGAPORE] Semiconductor-related firms in Singapore are under the spotlight after President Donald Trump’s threat of a US semiconductor tariff. However, the impact of the levy will vary based on each company’s exposure levels, said analysts on Friday (Aug 8). On Thursday, Trump announced that he will impose a 100 per cent levy on imports that…
Read MoreSingapore semiconductor firms are exposed to planned US tariffs, but impact may vary: analysts
[SINGAPORE] Semiconductor-related firms in Singapore are under the spotlight after President Donald Trump’s threat of US semiconductor tariffs. However, the impact of the levy will vary based on each company’s exposure levels, said analysts on Friday (Aug 8). On Thursday, Trump announced that he will impose a 100 per cent levy on imports that include…
Read MoreMesa Father Arrested After Fatally Punching Infant for ‘Crying Too Much,’ Then Telling Cops a Different Story
A Mesa father has been arrested over the death of his infant daughter who was found with “catastrophic injuries” nearly two weeks ago. Mesa police arrested 22-year-old Jonathan Enriquez on Wednesday and booked him into the Maricopa County jail on accusations of first-degree murder and felony child abuse, as reported by AZFamily. According to court…
Read MoreTicker glitch, rising competition deepen woes for Australian bourse
[SYDNEY] ASX is grappling with rising regulatory pressure and intensifying competition, as shares of Australia’s main exchange operator trail most of its global peers. In just two days, a bungled market announcement, a threat to its long-standing dominance and surprise expenses tied to an ongoing regulatory probe dented confidence in the exchange and heaped more…
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