Asia

Chinese cosmetic brands see rally despite global beauty downturn
8Jun By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia

Chinese cosmetic brands see rally despite global beauty downturn

With consumers staying at home for months and social gatherings banned across the world, the global cosmetics industry has been dealt a major blow by the coronavirus pandemic.Yet low-cost, online-savvy local beauty brands in China have seen their shares rally as investors spy an opportunity for the home-grown outfits to take market share amid the crisis.Hangzhou-based Proya Cosmetics Co has soared 88% this year, reaching a record high in May and is now trading at 68 times forward earnings, the highest among listed beauty companies worldwide and surpassing giants like Shiseido Co and Estee Lauder Cos.Another local make-up brand, Guangdong Marubi Biotechnology Co has surged 42% this year against a 3.9% decline in the Shanghai Composite Index and is now trading at 58.7 times forward earnings....
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China imports plunge, exports fall on virus hit to global growth
7Jun By Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia

China imports plunge, exports fall on virus hit to global growth

China's exports and imports fell in May as the economic slowdown abroad started to take its toll, and after a surprise jump driven by increased demand for anti-epidemic supplies, official data showed on Sunday.Exports from the manufacturing powerhouse fell 3.3% on-year last month, better than the 6.5 per cent slide expected by a Bloomberg poll of analysts.But the return to negative territory came after a surprise 3.5% jump in April, which was partly due to medical exports.Analysts have warned of signs that a larger downturn awaits.Customs data released on Sunday showed a larger than expected plunge in imports on-year, which were down by 16.7%.This was significantly higher than the 7.8% expected by analysts, and down further from the 14.2% drop in April."Export growth rebounded in March and...
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Reserves have allowed Singapore to deal with Covid-19 crisis: DPM Heng
6Jun By Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia

Reserves have allowed Singapore to deal with Covid-19 crisis: DPM Heng

While discussing the ‘Fortitude Budget’ in the parliament, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Friday said that unlike other countries, Singapore can depend on its national reserves and did not have to borrow or take on debt to fund its coronavirus stimulus packages.The MPs noted that Singapore was fortunate to be able to tap on the savings of past governments, built up since independence, to boost its Covid-19 war chest. But they also asked how long it would take to restore the sum.Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC) likened the reserves to a "golden goose" to be protected, warning that the more it is drawn on, the less there will be for future generations to depend on.Tin Pei Ling (Macpherson) and Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok), meanwhile, said it has given Singapore a key strategic...
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Asia’s factory pain worsens as China’s recovery fails to lift demand
1Jun By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

Asia’s factory pain worsens as China’s recovery fails to lift demand

Asia’s factory pain deepened in May as the slump in global trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic worsened, with export powerhouses Japan and South Korea suffering the sharpest declines in business activity in more than a decade, surveys showed.A series of manufacturing surveys released on Monday suggest any rebound in businesses will be some time off, even though China’s factory activity unexpectedly returned to growth in May.The new coronavirus pandemic - which has killed more than 370,000 people around the world - has wreaked havoc with supply chains and quashed demand as government-imposed lockdowns forced businesses to close and citizens to stay home.China’s Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) hit 50.7 last month, marking the highest reading since January as...
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China factory activity expands at slower rate as global slump drags on growth
1Jun By Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia

China factory activity expands at slower rate as global slump drags on growth

Factory activity in China took a big hit as official data showed that the industry expanded at a slower pace in May as the country attempts to get back on track after the coronavirus.China's factories have stirred back to life after the lifting of strict lockdown measures imposed when the virus surfaced in Wuhan, but the spread of coronavirus worldwide has dragged down key foreign markets - weighing heavily on Chinese exports.The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of activity in China's factories, was at 50.6 points in May, remaining above the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction each month.But the figure was down slightly from 50.8 the month before, and 52.0 in March, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).“The epidemic situation and economic situation...
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Oil prices falls on U.S.-China tensions over Hong Kong
27May By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

Oil prices falls on U.S.-China tensions over Hong Kong

Soon after U.S President Donald Trump said he was working on a strong response to China’s proposed security law in Hong Kong, oil prices took a drastic downturn on Wednesday.Brent crude fell 47 cents, or 1.3%, to $35.70 a barrel by 1106 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 32 cents, or almost 1%, at $34.03. “As much as oil fundamentals are improving, there are still several flies in the bullish ointment. They include the latest uptick in U.S.-China tensions,” said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM.“The threat of a fresh U.S.-China trade war is no longer just a tail risk and could spell disaster for risk assets,” he added.Gloomy forecasts over the economic impact of the pandemic also weighed on crude prices.The euro zone economy is likely to shrink between 8% and 12% t...
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China will strengthen its policy, continue to lower lending rates: Central Bank Governor
26May By Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

China will strengthen its policy, continue to lower lending rates: Central Bank Governor

Central bank Governor Yi Gang on Tuesday said that China will strengthen its economic policy and continue efforts to lower interest rates on loans, reinforcing expectations of further support measures to revive an economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.In an interview published by the central bank, Yi said China's economic fundamentals are unchanged despite many uncertainties and reiterated that its current stance on monetary policy will be more flexible.“The People's Bank of China will use various monetary policy tools to maintain sufficient liquidity, and keep the annual growth rate of M2 money supply and social financing significantly higher than last year,” Yi said.“Since the virus outbreak, the central bank's policy measures, including bank reserve requirement cuts, relending, re...
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“Fortitude Budget aimed at providing jobs, supporting workers through COVID-19 pandemic”
26May By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

“Fortitude Budget aimed at providing jobs, supporting workers through COVID-19 pandemic”

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday unveiled a new S$33 billion budget primarily focused on providing jobs and helping to tide workers and businesses through the “difficult period” of COVID-19.“The central focus of this Budget is jobs. This Budget will continue to support workers and businesses who remain affected by border closures and safe distancing measures,” Keat said."We aim to enable workers and businesses to go through this difficult period together in a synergistic way," he added.The Fortitude Budget, which is Singapore’s fourth of the year, aims to help businesses and workers adapt, transform and seize new opportunities in order to emerge stronger.This comes as Singapore prepares to reopen its economy in three phases, following a "circuit breaker" period w...
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Jobs a key part of ‘Fortitude Budget’, President gives in-principle support to draw on reserves
25May By Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Jobs a key part of ‘Fortitude Budget’, President gives in-principle support to draw on reserves

Singapore President Halimah Yacob on Monday said she has given her in-principle support for the Government to draw on past reserves for a fourth support package to help businesses and people cope with the economic fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak."This is the fourth Budget within two months into the new financial year, and the second time past reserves are tapped for the Government's Covid-19 response," she wrote in a Facebook post.President Halimah also said that Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and his team of ministers had briefed her and the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) last week on the fourth Covid-19 support package.The coronavirus crisis is unprecedented, she said, and the situation remains volatile, with significant uncertainties in global economy."Lives and livelih...
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25May By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, Market, Singapore

Singapore life insurance sales rise 10% amid Coronavirus scare

While Coronavirus has destroyed many lives and economies, Singapore's life insurance industry saw new business, in terms of total weighted premiums, grow 10 per cent to $965.8 million for the first quarter from January to March 2020.A year ago, total weighted premiums amounted to $877.8 million.“This comes as more consumers took action to secure their financial future in view of Covid-19's drastic impact on the global and local markets”, said the Life Insurance Association (LIA), Singapore."However, with circuit-breaker measures, climbing unemployment and an impending recession, the life insurance industry may see the knock-on effect in the coming quarters," LIA president Khor Hock Seng said.Sales of annual-premium policies grew 3 per cent year on year, resulting in $672.4 million in total...
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