European Shares Steady as Investors Assess Middle East Progress; Automakers Slide
European equities were largely unchanged on Monday, with the Stoxx 600 holding at 611.98 points as investors awaited progress in Middle‑East peace talks. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a tariff increase on EU‑made cars and trucks to 25%, up from 15%, sparking a sell‑off in German automakers. BMW and Mercedes each fell more than 2%, while Porsche and Volkswagen slipped around 1.5%, dragging the automobiles index down 1.6%. The region’s markets remain roughly 4% below pre‑war levels despite a broader global rally driven by AI optimism.
Asian Buyers Offer Big Premium for Diesel-Rich Crude From UAE
Asian refiners are offering roughly $20 a barrel above ADNOC’s official selling price to secure Upper Zakum crude, a diesel‑rich grade from the UAE. The premium reflects heightened demand for medium‑sour crudes after the Iran‑related conflict disrupted traditional supply routes....
Australian Shares Slip as RBA Decision Looms, NAB Posts Profit Miss
Australian shares slipped 0.4% to 8,697.10 as investors braced for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s rate decision. National Australia Bank reported a half‑year cash earnings miss, sending its stock down 1.2% and prompting the big four banks to raise provisions...
Samsung Biologics Estimates US$100 Million Strike Loss as Unions Press Demands
Samsung Biologics said the ongoing strike has already cost about $130 million, reflecting a partial disruption to its biologics production lines. Roughly half of its 2,861‑strong workforce has been on strike since April 28, demanding a 9.3% wage increase and a profit‑share...
Analysts Upgrade DBS, Lift Target Price on Improved Forecasts, Wealth Franchise Growth
Singapore’s DBS Group posted a modest 1% rise in Q1 net profit to S$2.93 billion (≈$2.17 billion), beating analysts’ forecasts. CGSI upgraded the stock to “add” and raised its target price to S$63.80 (≈$47 USD), while Macquarie moved its rating to “neutral” and...
Swiss Lawmakers Gather to Discuss Law that Will Shape UBS Future
Swiss lawmakers convened on May 4 to launch a parliamentary review of a bill that could add roughly US$20 billion in capital requirements to UBS's Swiss unit. The Upper House Economic Affairs and Taxation Committee will issue an early recommendation, shaping...
More than a Defence Contractor – ST Engineering’s Vincent Chong Is Ready for the Next Lap
ST Engineering’s shares have surged 28.4% year‑to‑date, outpacing the STI’s 7.1% gain, as the conglomerate leverages a diversified portfolio beyond defence. Two‑thirds of revenue now comes from commercial aerospace and smart‑city businesses, a shift cemented by a Covid‑era restructuring that...
World’s Largest Container Carrier Plans Route Avoiding Blockaded Hormuz
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co announced a new Europe‑to‑Middle East service that bypasses the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. The inaugural sailing leaves Antwerp on May 10, calling at several European ports before transiting the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Jeddah and King Abdullah,...
Fuel Crunch Driven by Iran War Boosts China’s Electric Two-Wheeler Exports to South-East Asia
Chinese electric two‑wheelers saw a sharp export surge to Southeast Asia in Q1 2026 as the Iran‑driven fuel crunch forced consumers to seek cheaper alternatives. Exports to Myanmar jumped 617.5% YoY to 64.7 million yuan (≈$9 million), while Laos and Cambodia grew 25.7%...
Oil Falls on Hopes for US-Iran Negotiations, Hormuz Progress
Oil slipped to around $102 per barrel on Friday as US‑Iran peace talks remain tenuous, even though West Texas Intermediate posted an 8% weekly gain. Traders trimmed risk amid thin volumes and global market holidays, while the ongoing de‑facto closure...
BYD Exports Jump as Soaring Fuel Prices Spur Global EV Demand
BYD’s overseas sales jumped 71% year‑on‑year in April, reaching 134,542 units, while total deliveries fell 16% to 321,123 amid a domestic slowdown. The surge was driven by soaring fuel prices after the Iran war, reviving global interest in electric vehicles....
Builder China Vanke Posts 5.95 Billion Yuan Loss in Q1
China Vanke reported a Q1 net loss of 5.95 billion yuan (about $830 million), slightly better than the 6.25 billion yuan loss a year earlier. The loss was driven by a 33% plunge in home deliveries, which trimmed revenue by 24% year‑over‑year. Vanke’s...
Warren Buffett Has Stepped Aside. Berkshire Hathaway Is Now Greg Abel’s Show
Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 annual meeting marks the first without Warren Buffett onstage, as CEO duties shift to Greg Abel. Since Buffett announced his succession plan, Berkshire’s stock has lagged the S&P 500, falling 12% versus a 25% index gain. Abel, praised...
Irregular Payments Occurred During Former Group Financial Controller’s Stint: Vin’s Holdings
Vin’s Holdings disclosed that four irregular payments totalling S$44,300 (approximately $33,000) were made to an entity linked to a former group financial controller, Koit Ven Jee, between October 2025 and March 2026. The payments occurred during Jee’s tenure, which ended...
Mastercard Profit Climbs on Steady Transaction Volumes
Mastercard posted a strong first‑quarter performance, with net income rising to $3.9 billion, an 18 percent increase year‑over‑year, and net revenue climbing 16 percent to $8.4 billion. Gross dollar volume grew 7 percent, reflecting steady transaction flow despite macro‑economic uncertainty from the Iran conflict and...
Prices of Nvidia’s B300 Server at 7 Million Yuan in China on US Curbs: Sources
Strong demand for AI compute in China has pushed Nvidia's B300 server price to about ¥7 million (≈$980,000), nearly double the 2025 level. The surge follows tighter U.S. export restrictions and a crackdown on grey‑market smuggling, creating a scarcity premium. Chinese...
Parkway Life Reit Q1 DPU up 15.1% at S$0.0442 on Higher Singapore Hospital Rents
Parkway Life REIT posted a 15.1% jump in Q1 distribution per unit to S$0.0442 (≈$0.033), driven by higher Singapore hospital rents after the end of three‑year rent rebates and a new rent‑review formula. Distributable income rose to S$28.8 million (≈$21.3 million) while...
PSA Wins Bid for Investment in Xiamen Port
PSA International, the Temasek‑owned Singapore port operator, won a public bidding round to acquire an undisclosed stake in Xiamen Container Terminal Group (XCTG). The investment adds to PSA’s existing presence in Fujian province, complementing its Fuzhou venture, and includes a...
Singapore’s Gold Demand Jumps Record 42% in Q1 Amid Geopolitical Risks, Volatile Prices
Investor demand for physical gold in Singapore surged 42% year‑on‑year to 3.5 tonnes in Q1 2026, the highest on record. Global bar and coin demand also rose 42% to 473.6 tonnes, while Asian‑listed gold ETFs added 84 tonnes, outpacing other regions. Prices peaked near...
UBS Beats Profit Expectations on Market Volatility
UBS reported first‑quarter net profit of US$3 billion, an 80% year‑on‑year rise that topped the US$2.3 billion consensus. The surge was driven by record trading revenue and a 27% jump in investment‑banking earnings. Global wealth management added US$37 billion of net new assets,...
SP Mobility, ComfortDelGro Engie Bag Contracts to Deploy EV Fast-Charging Hubs in HDB Towns
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority subsidiary EVe awarded contracts to SP Mobility and ComfortDelGro Engie to install eight electric‑vehicle fast‑charging hubs across HDB towns. Each site will host six to eight 50 kW fast chargers, with one location also offering three 7.4 kW...
Intel US$6.5 Billion Bond Sale Signals Investor Hope in Turnaround
Intel raised $6.5 bn in a new bond offering that attracted roughly $50 bn of investor orders, the strongest demand seen this year. The proceeds will be used to repurchase a 49% stake in its Fab 34 joint venture in Ireland, a move...
CapitaLand Ascendas Reit’s Portfolio Occupancy Dips to 90.5% in Q1; Rental Reversion Slows
CapitaLand Ascendas REIT’s overall occupancy slipped to 90.5% in Q1, down 0.4 percentage points from the previous quarter. The decline was led by Australia, where occupancy fell to 93% after a major logistics lease expired, while Singapore’s rate edged lower...
Straits Trading Aims to Address an Underserved Market for Seniors: Life Before Assisted Care
Straits Trading, a 138‑year‑old Singapore‑listed firm with roughly $1.5 billion in property assets, is entering the senior‑living market with a new venture called The Silver Movement. The initiative targets adults 55 and older, offering learning programs, travel experiences, lifestyle services, and...
JEP, XMH Chairs up Stakes; AGT Becomes OKP Substantial Shareholder
Institutional investors sold a net S$631 million ($467 m) of Singapore equities between April 17‑23, pushing the first‑half outflow to S$1.03 billion ($762 m). JEP’s CEO Andy Luong and XMH’s chairman Tan Tin Yeow each increased their personal stakes, while AGT Global Growth Fund expanded its holding...
US Imposes Sanctions on Chinese ‘Teapot’ Refinery for Buying Iranian Oil
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, a Chinese "teapot" plant, for buying billions of dollars worth of Iranian oil. The move also targeted roughly 40 vessels and shipping firms linked to Iran’s shadow fleet. China, which accounts for...
Stellantis to Make Peugeot Cars in China with Partner Dongfeng
Stellantis announced that it will resume Peugeot production in China through a revived joint venture with Dongfeng Motor, using the Wuhan plant to build a new line of large sedans and SUVs. The two concept vehicles were unveiled at the...
IFast Says It’s Not a Key Beneficiary of Crisis-Driven Inflows, Flags Risk From Middle East Tensions
Fintech platform iFast reported a 47.3% jump in Q1 net profit to S$28 million (≈$21 million) but said it has not captured the crisis‑driven inflows that have boosted Singapore, Hong Kong and London markets. The company reaffirmed its three‑year plan to lift assets...
COE Quota: Cat A Falls 2%, Cat B Rises 7% for May to July
Singapore's Land Transport Authority announced the COE quota for the May‑July 2026 period, increasing total supply by 1% to 19,052. Category A quota fell 2% to 7,434, while Category B rose 7% to 5,205, reflecting a shift toward larger, higher‑powered...
No Prosecution for Seatrium over Brazilian Corruption Offences, High Court Approves US$110 Million Penalty
Seatrium, a marine offshore engineering firm, secured a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) from Singapore's High Court, avoiding criminal charges for alleged Brazilian corruption. The company will pay a net US$57 million after Singapore credits US$53 million against a US$110 million penalty, reflecting prior...
STI Dips 0.4% as Investors Are Concerned About War and Inflation
Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index slipped 0.4% to 4,922.86 on Friday as heightened geopolitical tension and persistent inflation dampened investor confidence. Yangzijiang Shipbuilding led gains, rising 3.8% to S$4.33 (about $3.20), while UOB fell 2.44% despite declaring a S$0.71 ($0.53)...
Warburg Pincus-Backed PDG Taps Goldman for Stake Sale: Sources
Singapore‑based Princeton Digital Group (PDG), backed by Warburg Pincus and other sovereign investors, has hired Goldman Sachs to conduct a strategic review that could lead to a stake sale. The preliminary process follows heightened interest from global private‑equity firms in...
Hospitality Veterans David Michels, Howard Panter Appointed to Millennium & Copthorne Board
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, the hospitality arm of City Developments Ltd, appointed industry veterans David Michels and Howard Panter to its board on March 27. The move follows a series of recent board resignations linked to a prior governance dispute. Both newcomers...
Singapore Gas Supply Secure; Higher Power Prices May Benefit Units: Sembcorp
Sembcorp Industries assured that Singapore's gas supply stays secure despite the Middle East conflict, thanks to diversified piped natural gas and LNG contracts that exclude the region for 2026. The firm said higher wholesale power prices could let its power...
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions Persist; Earnings Watched
European equities extended losses on April 22, with the Stoxx 600 slipping 0.4% as oil prices rose to $100 per barrel and Middle‑East tensions lingered. Germany’s economy ministry halved its 2026 growth forecast while raising inflation expectations, adding to market unease....
Volvo Cars Says Demand for New EX60 Electric SUV Exceeds Expectation
Volvo Cars announced it will produce up to 40,000 units of its new EX60 electric SUV in 2026, a figure that surpasses the company’s original sales forecast. The demand surge has prompted the automaker to consider adding an extra week...
Wall Street Opens Higher on Ceasefire Extension Relief
Wall Street opened higher on April 22 after President Donald Trump announced an extension of the U.S.–Iran cease‑fire. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 122.1 points (0.25%) to 49,271.5, the S&P 500 rose 38.9 points (0.55%) to 7,102.91, and the Nasdaq...
Kin Global’s Public Offer of 1 Million Shares 29.5 Times Subscribed at S$0.23 a Share
Kin Global’s IPO of 1 million public‑offer shares at S$0.23 each was 29.5‑times oversubscribed, raising roughly US$5 million. A separate placement of 23.9 million shares attracted 2.9‑times demand, adding about US$12 million, while cornerstone investors bought 19.2 million shares for US$4.4 million. Net proceeds of approximately...
CICT Leans on ‘Bold Acquisitions’ and Asset Recycling to Drive Growth
CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) is pursuing aggressive portfolio upgrades, highlighted by a S$3.9 bn ($2.9 bn) acquisition of Paragon Mall funded through debt, a S$600 m ($444 m) private placement, and the sale of Asia Square Tower 2 for S$2.48 bn ($1.84 bn). The REIT’s recent...
Moody's Profit Rises on Strong Analytics Growth, Lifts Annual Forecast
Moody's reported a first‑quarter profit increase to $661 million, driven by an 8% rise in its analytics segment to $926 million and a record $1.15 billion in ratings revenue, also up 8% year‑over‑year. Earnings per share climbed to $3.73, prompting the company to...
Oiltek to ‘Actively Review’ Capital Structure After Stock-Split Query
Oiltek announced it will "actively review" its capital structure after a shareholder raised the prospect of a stock split, noting the current high share price could dampen market participation. The agritech firm’s shares have surged more than 250% year‑to‑date, reaching...
Hong Leong Asia Acquires Bomb Shelter Supplier Yong Tai Loong for S$90.7 Million
Hong Leong Asia (HLA) has completed the acquisition of Yong Tai Loong, a specialist supplier of bomb‑shelter components, for S$90.7 million (approximately $67 million) in cash. The deal makes Yong Tai Loong a wholly‑owned subsidiary and expands HLA’s building‑materials portfolio, especially in...
Nam Cheong Sells Two Offshore Support Vessels for US$36.7 Million
Nam Cheong announced the sale of two offshore support vessels for US$36.7 million, comprising a new‑build multi‑purpose vessel and a 120‑tonne anchor‑handling tug that will turn 16 this year. The buyers are a vessel operator in Indonesia and a government‑linked operator...
DFI Retail Group Q1 Underlying Profit From Continuing Businesses up 49%
DFI Retail Group reported a 49% year‑on‑year jump in underlying profit from continuing operations in Q1 2026, driven by lower financing costs and disciplined cost control. Operating profit from the same segment rose 12% as the retailer trimmed expenses and...
Suntec Reit Flags Near-Term Pressure on Convention Business as Bookings Slow in Wake of Iran War
Suntec REIT warned that the Iran‑Israel conflict is dampening near‑term convention bookings in Singapore as corporates adopt a wait‑and‑see stance. While no cancellations have occurred, higher air‑fares, accommodation costs and disrupted travel routes are pressuring event organisers. The REIT, newly...
‘Largest Singapore Commercial S-Reit Proxy’: Analysts Say Buy CICT Shares After Paragon Acquisition
CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) announced a S$3.9 billion (~$2.9 billion) acquisition of the luxury Paragon mall, cementing its status as the largest Singapore commercial S‑REIT proxy. The deal is financed by the recent S$2.48 billion (~$1.8 billion) sale of Asia Square Tower 2 and...
Here Are SGX’s Top 10 Dividend and Best-Performing ETFs in the Volatile First Quarter
Singapore Exchange‑listed ETFs hit a record $14 billion in assets under management in Q1 2026, up from previous quarters. Average turnover surged 117% to roughly $47 million, propelled by strong demand for gold and equity‑focused funds. Gold ETFs posted a 164% quarterly gain,...
CATL Share Sale’s Tightening Discount Shows China Tech Momentum
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) sold 58 million shares – 1.27% of its float – at a 5.1% discount, more than twice oversubscribed. The deal, valued at 23.8 billion yuan (≈$3.3 billion), narrowed the discount from the 6.9% seen in November, underscoring heightened investor...
Hong Kong Flight Capacity Set to Rise 10% on China, South Korea Demand
Hong Kong’s airline capacity is projected to rise about 10% in Q2, led by strong demand on routes to China and South Korea. Seats on those corridors are expected to increase 17‑30% year‑on‑year, while Southeast Asian leisure markets such as...
ESR Reit’s FY2026 DPU Will Drop if Divestment Proceeds Are Not Redeployed: Manager
ESR REIT warned that its FY2026 distribution per unit (DPU) could fall if the proceeds from recent divestments are not redeployed. The trust sold non‑core assets for S$338.1 million (≈$250 million) and a hotel for S$101.1 million (≈$75 million), which will be used to...