SINGAPORE (Jan 3): Sembcorp Industries is acquiring a 100% stake in Veolia ES Singapore (VESS) and its public cleaning business for S$28 million.

The sale & purchase agreement of Veolia ES Singapore Industrial (VESSI) was signed between Sembcorp's wholly-owned subsidiary SembWaste and Veolia Environmental Services Asia.

Sembcorp acquires Veolia's public cleaning business for S$28 mil

SINGAPORE (Dec 27): Vividthree Holdings, the visual effects and computer-generated imagery (CGI) company, says it is in talks to acquire comics content creator, DarkBox Studio.

DarkBox Studio creates comics animation for the Web and various social media platforms. The company has been involved in projects with famous clients including Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and the Jim Henson Company.

Vividthree in talks to acquire comics content creator DarkBox Studio

SINGAPORE (Dec 27): Second Chance Properties, the property owner and retailer of gold ornaments and baju kurung, reported a net profit of S$2.12 million in 1QFY19 ended November, versus the net profit of S$0.22 million posted in the same period a year ago.

Earnings per share for 1Q came in at 0.28 Singaporean cent, up from 0.03 cent in the same period a year earlier.

Second Chance Properties 1Q net profit surges to S$2.12 mil on absence of fair value loss

SINGAPORE (Dec 16): Jumbo Group, the food and beverage (F&B) operator, has opened its first Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh and Xinyao Hainanese Chicken Rice restaurants in China.

Located at Shanghai One International Trade Centre (ITC), the Ng Ah Sio restaurant can seat up to 68 people, while Xinyao can seat up to 42 people. Both outlets will occupy 2,800 sq ft of space.

Jumbo opens maiden bak kut teh and chicken rice restaurants in Shanghai

SINGAPORE (Dec 16): The total number of IPO deals next year is expected to exceed those this year, says EY in its quarterly report, Global IPO trends: Q4 2019.

IPO activity is expected to pick up across all regions, particularly in the Americas where a number of large unicorns are expected to launch their IPOs in the US in the first half of 2020, adds the report.

IPO activity set to rebound next year as geopolitical worries and trade tensions fade: EY

SINGAPORE (Dec 11): GIC, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore, has formed a joint venture partnership with RPT Realty (RPT).

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, RPT is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates a national portfolio of open-air shopping destinations located in top US markets.

GIC in JV with NYSE-listed RPT Realty REIT

SINGAPORE (Dec 9): Del Monte Pacific (DMPL), the Singapore- and Philippine-listed food and beverage company, reversed into the red in the second quarter due to one-off expenses.

In 2QFY20 ended ended October, DMPL reported a loss of US$37.4 million (S$50.9 million). This compares to a profit of US$8.4 million in the year before.

Del Monte Pacific sinks into the red in 2Q on one-off charges for US plant closures

SINGAPORE (Nov 12): Companies in the region have relatively stable appetite for M&A activity, a recent EY survey has found.

This despite coming under pressure from higher input costs, thinning margins and an increasingly slowing economy.

Regional companies see stable M&A desire driven by new markets, tech and talent

Wilmar International, Asia’s leading agribusiness group, reported a 10% y-o-y increase in 3Q19 earnings ended Sept to US$447.1 million (S$608 million).

3Q19 revenue came in 2.2% lower at US$11.2 billion from a year ago due to lower commodity prices.

Wilmar reports 10% rise in 3Q earnings to US$447m on better performance across all core segments

SINGAPORE (Nov 8): Singapore Exchange says total securities market turnover value rose to S$21.6 billion in October, up 9% against September.

In a noon filing today, SGX said a rebound in Asian stock market activity had led to a return of investor risk appetite.

SGX reports 9% m-o-m higher total securities turnover value for October as risk appetite returns

US President Donald Trump’s policy shocks are tilting risk sentiment in favour of emerging-market equities, leading to their biggest outperformance in 16 years over US stocks as investors focus on local growth and earnings.

EM stocks extend lead over S&P 500 as Trump rattles US markets

Along the Mekong River just outside Phnom Penh, Men Moeun and his neighbours live on land set aside for a massive China-backed infrastructure plan that could transform Cambodia’s economy, with some planting corn on the vacant fields to get by.

Trump’s tariffs risk pushing Cambodia further into China’s embrace

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed its forecasts for growth in the United States, China and most countries, citing the impact of US tariffs now at 100-year highs, and warning that further trade tensions would slow growth further.

IMF cuts growth forecasts for most countries in wake of century-high US tariffs

Vice-President JD Vance pushed for stronger ties between the US and India across a range of areas from energy to defense, in remarks delivered during a four-day trip to the South Asian country that brought the two nations closer to a trade deal.

Vance calls for closer US-India ties as trade talks progress

After Singapore-based steel firm Green Esteel Pte Ltd’s emergence as the controlling shareholder of Southern Steel Bhd (KL:SSTEEL) earlier this year, the Malaysian group is now offloading a 55% stake in its steel wire mesh-making unit to Singapore-listed BRC Asia Ltd for RM61.05 million in cash.

Southern Steel to sell 55% stake in steel wire mesh unit to Singapore-listed BRC Asia

Gold prices briefly broke above US$3,500 per ounce to an all-time high on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump criticised Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, rattling investors and increasing demand for the safe-haven asset.

Gold touches US$3,500/oz amid Trump's attacks on Powell

To break into the cryptocurrency mining industry, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr are teaming up with executives who previously founded a miner with the backing of investors implicated in an illegal penny-stock pump-and-dump operation.

Trump sons’ bitcoin mining partners had run-ins with regulators

Pakistan’s central bank will allow the rupee to gradually weaken to manage pressures on the current account as the economy gains pace, according to Fitch Ratings.

Pakistan will allow rupee to gradually weaken — Fitch

Wong & Partners, the legal firm which had advised 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), did not play a role in the controversial transfer of the US$1 billion meant for a joint venture with PetroSaudi International Ltd (PSI), but which was then misappropriated, the court heard on Tuesday.

1MDB legal adviser Wong & Partners played no role in controversial US$1b remittance, court told

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): Malaysia’s ports-and-logistics sector could be hit by a sharp decline in global order volumes amid uncertainty over international trade, Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) said in cutting the industry outlook.

Maybank IB turns neutral on Malaysia’s ports-and-logistics sector because of tariff uncertainties, despite signs of near-term front-loading by exporters

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): AmBank (M) Bhd&nbsp;is taking legal action to auction off a property in Bandar Kundang, Rawang, owned by the late Kee Kok Thiam, a former aide to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low), to recover a housing loan of RM1.018 million.

AmBank seeks to auction off property of Jho Low’s former aide Kee over RM1m loan

Malaysia should brace for potential US recession and slowdown of China that will drag on the global economy this year, OCBC warned on Tuesday.

Malaysia should brace for potential US recession, China slowdown, says OCBC

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): Malaysia’s ports-and-logistics sector could be hit by a sharp decline in global order volumes amid uncertainty over international trade, Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) said in cutting the industry outlook.&nbsp;

The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) plans to nab&nbsp;another ‘Tan Sri’ for questioning&nbsp;in connection with the MBI ponzi scheme, following a second round of arrests from April 18 to 21 and the seizure of RM347 million in assets, according to sources.

Police to nab third ‘Tan Sri’ for questioning, following fresh arrests and RM347m seizure in MBI case — sources

Inari Amertron Bhd (KL:INARI) is still in the early stages of its earnings downgrade cycle, even after the recent plunge in its share price, but investors should consider taking positions now, an analyst&nbsp;said on Tuesday.

Inari's earnings outlook still under risk; HLIB advises 'buy' before turnaround

The Visa Liberalisation Plan (PLV) for Chinese visitors has been extended for another five years, as the initiative has shown immediate positive impact on the country’s economy, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Visa exemption for Chinese tourists extended for five years to boost economy — home minister

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): Demand for palm oil from top buyers China and India may rise from restocking ahead of summer and ongoing discount against soybean oil, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said on Tuesday.

Palm oil demand from China, India may rise in next two months, support prices — MPOC

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): Reach Ten Holdings Bhd’s initial public offering (IPO) shares were oversubscribed less than two times by the public investors ahead of its Main Market listing.

Reach Ten’s Main Market IPO shares oversubscribed by 1.85 times

The High Court has postponed the Sapura Holdings Sdn Bhd winding-up petition, involving feuding brothers Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin and Datuk Shahriman Shamsudin, to Wednesday at 9am, as both sides are negotiating a settlement.

Sapura Holdings winding-up case postponed to Wednesday as brothers seek settlement

Solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers in Malaysia owned by China-based players could face the risk of being phased out due to the latest US-imposed duties on solar imports from the country, an industry group representing the sector said.

US tariffs weigh on Chinese solar panel makers in Malaysia; neutral for installers

The European Commission (EC) has been urged to recognise the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification in order to promote greater acceptance of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

European Commission urged to recognise Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil certification to enhance compliance with EU Deforestation Regulation

(April 21):&nbsp;Air India Ltd&nbsp;is looking to take Boeing Co&nbsp;planes rejected by Chinese carriers, people familiar with the matter said, joining the ranks of Asian airlines vying to benefit from the trade war between Washington and Beijing.

Air India keen to take Boeing jets refused by China airlines — Bloomberg

The High Court on Tuesday granted leave (permission) to Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid to challenge a RM313.82 million additional tax imposed on her by the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

High Court allows Na'imah to challenge RM313.8m tax bill through judicial review

Nomura Holdings Inc&nbsp;agreed to purchase Macquarie Group Ltd’s US and European public asset management business for US$1.8 billion (RM7.9 billion), marking the Japanese brokerage’s most significant overseas acquisition since it bought Lehman Brothers assets in 2008.&nbsp;

Nomura’s biggest deal since Lehman forms unit with US$770b in assets under management

Parkway Life Real Estate Investment Trust's (REIT)&nbsp;wholly owned Malaysian subsidiary Parkway Life Malaysia has entered a sale and purchase agreement for the divestment of strata units and lots at MOB Specialist Clinics in Kuala Lumpur for RM20.09 million.

Parkway Life REIT to divest Malaysian property for RM20m

Norges Bank, which manages Norway’s government pension fund, has emerged as a substantial shareholder in automated test equipment (ATE) maker Pentamaster Corp Bhd (KL:PENTA) with a 5.26% stake.

Norges Bank emerges as substantial shareholder of Pentamaster

Shares of TMD Energy Ltd, a 66.39% subsidiary of Straits Energy Resources Bhd (KL:STRAITS), rose by as much as 26.76% on its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) American.

TMD Energy opened at US$3.26 on Monday (April 21), and hit an intraday high of US$4.12, before it pared its gains to close at US$3.63, an 11.69% premium over the initial public offering (IPO) price of US$3.25 per share.

Straits Energy’s TMD ends NYSE American debut at 12% premium to IPO price

The dragon carving souvenir recently presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping was a personal gift and not an official government representation, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said.&nbsp;

Loke: Dragon souvenir for Xi a personal gift, should not be blown out of proportion

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is studying a more structured mechanism regarding port charges to ensure the sustainability of the country's ports as well as a balance between market needs and capacity development.

Transport Ministry floats plan for phased 30% increase in port tariff

The escalation of US-China trade tensions, marked by aggressive tariff measures by US President Donald Trump, is likely to reinforce Asean's attractiveness as a neutral production and investment base, according to OCBC chief economist Selena Ling.

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