OCBC Q4 net profit down 18%, bad debt charges rise

SINGAPORE: Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC), Singapore’s second-biggest lender, on Tuesday (Feb 14) reported a bigger-than-expected 18 per cent drop in quarterly net profit, dragged down by a 57 per cent jump in bad debt charges. OCBC's net profit ... ( read original story ...)

OCBC’s Q4 profit slumps to 3-yr low on bad debt charges

Singapore banks’ exposure to the stressed oil services sector and slowing loan growth due to slack regional trade are clouding prospects for the country’s lenders. OCBC CEO Samuel Tsien said the bank’s overall portfolio quality remained sound ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore advisory panel eyes new drivers of economic growth

SINGAPORE: A key Singapore advisory panel last week proposed a 10-year strategy aimed at ensuring annual economic growth of 2-3 percent, mainly centred on trade partnerships, deepening the workforce’s tech skills and digitalising the economy. It also ... ( read original story ...)

Small-cap adventures on the Singapore Exchange

Can you see its business on the ground? Check. No red flags in its financial statements at first glance? Check. The pulse races. Is that . . . a value stock? It might be yet another illiquid small and medium enterprise (SME) listed on the Singapore ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore dollar stays near two-week low ahead of crucial data

The Singapore dollar has held near a two-week low against the US currency on Monday (13 Feb) ahead of crucial data releases scheduled for the week including the final numbers for the fourth quarter GDP. USD/SGD traded at 1.4207 at 4pm in Singapore ... ( read original story ...)

Dyson opens new $561 million Technology Centre in Singapore

James Dyson today opened the doors to Dyson’s new Technology Centre in Singapore, in the presence of Minister for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran. Dyson is investing $561 million (£330m) in its future in Singapore. The new facility has the latest ... ( read original story ...)

Down-to-earth satellite opportunities

"The satellite communications industry is an exciting and fast-growing one, with growing business and career opportunities" notes Beh Kian Teik, Assistant Managing Director of Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB). "There are many technology ... ( read original story ...)

Singapore firms among UEL’s shortlisted bidders

Final offers for the Singapore property group, which has a market capitalisation of $1.9 billion, are expected to be due by end-March, said sources who wanted to remain anonymous as the info is private. In January, UEL’s largest owners Oversea-Chinese ... ( read original story ...)

Valentine’s Day: 3 Cool Districts For Hot Romance

This is an exotic date centered around the Arab Quarter in Singapore. Full of Middle Eastern charm, it is the perfect backdrop for a sensual encounter. Begin with a perfume-making workshop at Sifr Aromatics where you can create your own his and her ... ( read original story ...)

Why OCBC is downgrading HPH Trust to 'hold'

SINGAPORE (Feb 13): OCBC has cut Hutchison Port Holdings Trust to a “hold” from “buy”, recommending investors to collect HPHT at US$0.41 (58 Singapore cents) and below. The downgrade comes after management dropped its FY17 DPU guidance to 20-23 HK ... ( read original story ...)

Review property tax, urges Redas

Redas has called on the government to review its property tax policies as part of its budget wish-list. The Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (Redas) has called on the government to review the property tax for vacant private land ... ( read original story ...)

300 students to work on IT problems public agencies face

SINGAPORE: About 300 students in Singapore will get the opportunity to work on tech problems faced by public agencies after the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) signed agreements with eight schools on Monday (Feb 13). Agreements were ... ( read original story ...)