Market Archives - FINANCIAL POST

Singapore becomes a haven for companies and investors fleeing tensions between the US and China.

24Jan

By Brian ThompsonNo Comments

China, Market, Singapore, USA

Singapore becomes a haven for companies and investors fleeing tensions between the US and China.

Its reputation of political neutrality — and strength in life sciences — is making Singapore a favoured launchpad for western investors and Chinese startups. Two years ago, Polaris Partners, the investment arm of US pharmaceutical company Polaris, opened an office in Singapore as it started to ramp up investments in the Asian country. “Singapore has an extraordinary ecosystem,” says Amy Schulman, managing partner at Polaris Partners. “It has first rate science that gets a good amount of government support. It has terrific intellectual property protection, and it has organised rule of law system that makes things very appealing.” Singapore’s favourable tax system and English-speaking business community have also made it an ideal jumping off point for international companies se...

Singapore Stock Market May Extend Gains On Positive Sentiment

24Jan

By Brian ThompsonNo Comments

Market, Singapore

Singapore Stock Market May Extend Gains On Positive Sentiment

The Singapore stock market, represented by the Straits Times Index (STI), ended a three-day losing streak on Thursday, closing 25.36 points or 0.67% higher at 3,806.57. Gains were led by financial and property stocks, while industrial counters showed mixed performances. Top performers included DBS Group, which rallied 1.13%, and Hongkong Land, which rose 1.20%. Comfort DelGro gained 0.72%, while SingTel advanced 0.97%. However, Seatrium Limited fell 1.33%, and Keppel Ltd shed 0.45%. The positive momentum is expected to continue, supported by upbeat global cues as European and US markets closed higher. This optimism comes ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, with analysts expecting Asian markets to follow suit. Additionally, Singapore’s industrial production data for December...

Home prices in Singapore increase 2.3% as market speculation increases.

24Jan

By Brian ThompsonNo Comments

Market, Singapore

Home prices in Singapore increase 2.3% as market speculation increases.

Singapore home prices rose at the same pace as initially estimated in the last quarter of 2024, amid analyst forecasts that the government may intervene to cool the market this year. Private residential prices climbed 2.3% in the fourth quarter from the previous three months, according to final figures released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Friday, matching an earlier estimate. For the whole of 2024, prices rose 3.9%. Rents for private homes – closely watched by expats and locals alike – were unchanged from the previous three months, when they gained 0.8%. It contributed to a 1.9% fall in rents in 2024, the first drop since 2020. The resurgence in residential values was driven by a flurry of projects released around the end of last year. Lower interest rates attract...

By 2033, the global sports medicine industry is expected to reach $12.32B.

24Jan

By Michael SmithNo Comments

Market

By 2033, the global sports medicine industry is expected to reach $12.32B.

Emerging technologies include regenerative medicine and advanced physiotherapy. The global sports medicine market is projected to hit $12.32b by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of 6.04%, said Research and Markets. The sector’s expansion is attributed to treatment advancements, increased participation in sports, and a greater awareness of fitness. In addition, a demand for innovative treatments and rehabilitation equipment is driving market growth. Emerging technologies such as regenerative medicine, minimally invasive surgeries, and advanced physiotherapy techniques are gaining traction in the sector. Meanwhile, developments in stem cell therapy, cryotherapy, and laser therapy contribute to reduced recovery times and improved injury management.

The markets are kept in suspense by Trump’s China trade war strategy.

24Jan

By Michael SmithNo Comments

Market

The markets are kept in suspense by Trump’s China trade war strategy.

Donald Trump hasn’t applied maximum tariff pressure on China, yet, leaving room for markets to speculate and swoon Your move, President Xi. This may be the key message from Donald Trump’s surprising reversal on massive “day one” tariffs on China. The reprieve Trump appears to have granted Asia’s biggest economy is one Xi Jinping’s Communist Party surely didn’t see coming. For weeks now, Trump and the gang of anti-China advisers he’s named to his new administration promised immediate 60% tariffs as the centerpiece of a “shock-and-awe” trade war. Not so fast, it turns out. Taxes on Chinese goods are notably absent from the tsunami of first-week executive orders. When pressed, Trump even lowered his sights. Whereas Canada and Mexico face 25% levies by February 1, China might suf...

The China Financial Index of the SEB indicates a decline in market sentiment.

9Jan

By Joe RodriguezNo Comments

China, Market

The China Financial Index of the SEB indicates a decline in market sentiment.

SEB's China Financial Index, which measures the business outlook among northern European companies' subsidiaries in China, dropped to 52.0 at the end of the year 2024, from 55.3 in June. The survey shows that respondents consider the business environment to be increasingly challenging. “Renewed pessimism among the survey respondents reflects the sentiment swings seen among other foreign business players in China. Despite a series of announcements from the Chinese government about its intention to support the economy forcefully, the view seems to be that the measures implemented so far have not been sufficient. Customer demand and local Chinese competition remain top concerns for northern European companies in China. In addition, there are elevated fears in China of a poss...

November saw a sharp increase in Singaporean industry output, but the forecast for 2025 is still uncertain.

27Dec

By Walter ParezNo Comments

Market, Singapore

November saw a sharp increase in Singaporean industry output, but the forecast for 2025 is still uncertain.

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s manufacturing output expanded for a fifth straight month in November as production surged in the key electronics industry, which likely got a boost from front-loading ahead of possible US tariff hikes. Analysts were cautious about the uncertain outlook for manufacturing in 2025, given the incoming Trump administration’s more protectionist stance and heightened geopolitical tensions. Total factory output climbed 8.5 per cent year on year, after a modest 1.2 per cent rise in October. The expansion, however, fell short of the 9.7 per cent growth forecast by economists in a Bloomberg poll. Excluding the more volatile biomedical industry, output increased 13 per cent, data from the Economic Development Board on Dec 26 showed. “Export demand for electronics r...

Consumer confidence declines ahead of Trump’s inauguration, putting the US economy at risk of a recession.

26Dec

By Mike TrudellNo Comments

Market, USA

Consumer confidence declines ahead of Trump’s inauguration, putting the US economy at risk of a recession.

The United States may be heading towards a significant recession, with consumer confidence rapidly declining ahead of Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration. As the nation prepares for Trump’s second term as President following his decisive victory in the 2024 election, concerns over the economy are growing. His victory, which left little room for rival Kamala Harris, sets the stage for his inaugural celebration—but consumer sentiment is at a worrying low, with the Conference Board’s Expectations Index hitting a five-month low. Is the US Economy at Risk? The current state of the Expectations Index, which often signals the onset of a recession, has heightened fears that the US economy could be on the brink of a downturn. Consumer confidence plays a crucial role in both the stock market...

India’s GDP is expected to increase 6.5% in the current and upcoming fiscal years, according to an EY research.

26Dec

By Brian ThompsonNo Comments

Asia, Market

India’s GDP is expected to increase 6.5% in the current and upcoming fiscal years, according to an EY research.

India’s economy is forecast to grow 6.5 per cent in the current and next financial years, despite headwinds from slowing private consumption and investment, an EY report said. Government capital formation has contracted sharply in the first half of the fiscal and needs to ramped up to meet 6.5 per cent growth, the report warned. Real GDP growth eased to a seven-quarter low of 5.4 per cent in July-September — the second quarter of the current 2024-25 fiscal year, against 6.7 per cent in the preceding quarter. This was primarily because two domestic demand components — private final consumption expenditure and gross fixed capital formation — together accounted for a fall of 1.5 percentage points. “One outstanding feature of demand is the slowdown in investment, as reflected in t...

In what ways did India’s leading economic officials guide the country’s economy in 2024?

26Dec

By Brian ThompsonNo Comments

Asia, Market

In what ways did India’s leading economic officials guide the country’s economy in 2024?

Appointed as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on December 11 after serving as Revenue Secretary from December 2022 to 2024, where he played a pivotal role in key financial reforms and securing favourable Financial Action Task Force (FATF) evaluations for the country.Spearheaded financial infrastructure advancements as Secretary of Financial Services (February-November 2022) and contributed significantly to the energy sector as the Chairman and Managing Director (MD) of the Rural Electrification Corporation.In a career spanning over three decades, Malhotra has held critical roles in finance, taxation, and public policy, showcasing his leadership in driving financial inclusion and revenue enhancement.Did you know?Malhotra is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (...