Imports of live Christmas trees slow sharply

SINGAPORE: With Christmas just two weeks away, live pine tree imports appear to have dropped drastically. The United States - a major supplier of live Christmas trees to Singapore - has a reported shortage and, furnishing giant IKEA announced it would not ... ( read original story ...)

Business optimism hits another historical low in 4 years

Wholesale trade emerged as one of the most pessimistic sectors. Local firms in Singapore seemed to be losing hope as Business Optimism Index plunges to its second lowest historical low in four years, Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB) revealed. ( read original story ...)

Singapore's Tourists Abandon Casinos for Shopping Malls

Singapore's casinos are so 2015. After luring tourists for half a decade, they're now losing out to the mall. Shopping has overtaken gambling as the biggest earner in Singapore's tourism industry for the first time since 2012, surging 44 percent in the ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore economy could only grow 2% next year: ICAEW

Weak manufacturing sector seen a major drag. Recent economic data have been disappointing in Singapore and the economy is expected to grow at a subdued pace by historical standards in 2017, said the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore Casinos Are So 2015 as Tourists Go Shopping Instead

(Bloomberg) -- Singapore's casinos are so 2015. After luring tourists for half a decade, they're now losing out to the mall. Shopping has overtaken gambling as the biggest earner in Singapore's tourism industry for the first time since 2012, surging 44 ... ( read original story ...)

Listening points for feedback ahead of Budget 2017

SINGAPORE: Feedback unit REACH and Singapore's finance ministry will be organising a series of listening points to gather views ahead of next year's Budget. Nine REACH listening points will be set up in areas like malls, markets and community centres. ( read original story ...)

Singapore's easing office rents offer cost advantage: analysts

But some analysts see a brighter side to this, saying this gives the market cost advantage. Based on JLL's latest Global Premium Office Rent Tracker, Singapore ranked 18th in the world's priciest cities for Grade A offices. Its rival Hong Kong topped the list. ( read original story ...)

Seven things to know about 2016 banking bonuses in Singapore

Worried about your Singapore banking bonus? You probably should be. http://news.efinancialcareers.com/sg-en/265908/job-market-singapore/ Investment banks in Singapore typically won’t pay their bonuses until after Chinese New Year, but a general picture ... ( read original story ...)

DBS staff in Hong Kong arrested amid alleged data leak

SINGAPORE — Several employees of DBS Group Holdings in Hong Kong have been arrested in a probe connected with an alleged leak of customer data, prompting the Singapore bank to say on Friday (Dec 9) that it takes its obligations to curtail financial crime ... ( read original story ...)

IOI Prop thrives on diversity

One of the reasons for its large profit is the diversity of its business. Projects in China and Singapore stand out in terms of driving earnings which the company says were responsible for both an increase in revenue and operating profit. That diversity is ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore economy could expand 2.3% in 2017: Deutsche Bank

Singapore - The Singapore economy could expand 2.3 per cent year on year in 2017, with a further rise to 3 per cent in 2018, said Deutsche Bank in a report this week. Still, it cautioned that "such a growth increment (is) hardly any reason to cheer about ... ( read original story ...)

Median salary to rise next year

The median base salary in Singapore is expected to rise 4.7 per cent in 2017, after factoring in disinflation, higher than the 3.7 per cent increase this year, said a report by Korn Ferry Hay Group yesterday. This would be ahead of Asia's real wage growth ... ( read original story ...)