Asia will be biggest growth driver: Analyst

Straits Times Singapore, December 15, 2009, Tuesday   By Robin Chan   Asia will grow rapidly even if the US economy stays weak, says DBS’ Mr David Carbon.   ASIA will replace the United States as the largest source of new economic demand next year, making it the world’s biggest growth driver. That means US demand will be [...]

New home sales come close to 2007 levels

Straits Times Singapore, December 15, 2009, Tuesday But with more mass market deals, total value is at 58% of that in 2007   By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent WITH the year nearly over, it is clear that nearly as many homes will be sold this year as in the boom year of 2007.  CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) predicted [...]

Abu Dhabi’s US$10b lifeline saves Dubai

Straits Times Singapore, December 15, 2009, Tuesday US$4.1b will be used to meet debt obligations to stave off default   By Fiona Chan DEBT-LADEN Dubai was rescued from the brink of a default by fellow emirate Abu Dhabi yesterday with a surprise US$10 billion (S$13.9 billion) handout that arrived just in time.  Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of [...]

Gold Rush

Sunday Times Singapore, December 13, 2009, Sunday As gold price hits never-seen-before levels, Gabriel Chen looks at why the precious metal can make a good investment and asks analysts about its prospects   If some pundits are right, gold is well on its way to a dazzling US$2,000 (S$2,780) or more an ounce in the next decade – [...]

Buying policies: Don’t go with the flow

Sunday Times Singapore, December 13, 2009, Sunday   small change   Get insurance coverage according to your needs and circumstances By Ignatius Low, Money Editor   – PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO   I bought my first life insurance policy when I was just 19 years old. I wasn’t quite sure how it worked. All I knew was that I was [...]

More jobs and better pay likely next year

Sunday Times Singapore, December 13, 2009, Sunday Employment prospects are improving in tandem with business expectations   By Shefali Rekhi   Women seeking jobs in childcare, security, social services and other sectors at a job fair earlier this year. An upbeat forecast for the economy is fuelling optimism that companies will start to hire more staff and offer [...]

Reits an option for property investors

Sunday Times Singapore, December 13, 2009, Sunday property   They offer a relatively liquid way to gain exposure to real estate sector, and dividend yields By Joyce Teo If you want to invest in property but cannot bear the idea of borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy that fancy condominium unit or going through the hassle [...]

Er, what is an SWF?

Sunday Times Singapore, December 13, 2009, Sunday   FINANCIAL QUOTIENT     Where do you see this? Most often in news articles, usually involving some billion-dollar investment deal. What does it mean? SWFs, or sovereign wealth funds, are government-owned investment funds that invest their country’s savings or reserves in international assets such as stocks and bonds. Singapore’s Temasek [...]

Surge in asset prices to fuel inflation: HSBC

Straits Times Singapore, December 12, 2009, Saturday   Rate could hit 4% next half-year as spending and home prices climb By Fiona Chan INFLATION could hit a high of 4 per cent in the next six months on account of the surge in asset prices here, according to a new report by HSBC.  It said investors feeling rich [...]

4% interest on CPF savings extended

Straits Times Singapore, December 12, 2009, Saturday CENTRAL Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to receive at least 4 per cent interest on a portion of their savings until the end of next year, said the CPF Board yesterday. These are for funds in the Special and Medisave Accounts (SMA), and the Retirement Account (RA). Funds in the [...]