Friday 18 September 2009

Ex-Morgan Stanley banker jailed for 7 years


A Hong Kong court on Friday sentenced a former senior banker at Morgan Stanley to seven years in jail -- the heaviest punishment it can impose -- in the city’s largest insider dealing case.

Andy Xie: What We Can Learn as Japan’s Economy Sinks

Japan hasn’t sustained growth bounces for decades, nor will it under the DPJ government. Therein lie lessons for other economies.

Three former senior execs of Daka Designs charged in Hong Kong

Three ex-senior executives of a former Singapore- listed company, Daka Designs, have been charged in Hong Kong with conspiring to defraud shareholders and the Singapore Exchange between early 2003 and May 2005.

Silent cries of foreign brides

Controls needed to protect women in such arranged unions

Shenzhen begins push to increase transparency

When it comes to freedom of the press, the mainland has a poor record overall by Western standards, but Shenzhen authorities announced yesterday a new initiative to enhance government transparency, saying that officials who violated it could face Communist Party disciplinary action or lose their jobs.

Now, a less aggressive manner

When Mr. Vijay Badami and his family returned to Karnataka in India a couple of years ago, relatives told him that Singapore had changed them.

More S-chips go on charm offensive

More S-chips are going on a charm offensive to revive interest among institutional investors. And their choice of weapons are roadshows, meetings and investor conferences.

Man, 68, charged with molest

Ho Ching, a former ice-cream vendor, allegedly kissed the girl in the living room of his flat at New Upper Changi Road on Aug 8 last year.

Just how far can ‘internal affairs’ be stretched?

Ever since the 1950s, China has subscribed to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, which was first written into a treaty that it signed with India in 1954. Since then, China has continued to loudly uphold this principle and to criticise those who, in Beijing’s view, interfere in its internal affairs, including commenting on its human rights record.

Guangdong goes after fleeing debtors

China’s southern Guangdong province has passed a law aimed at barring foreigners and locals from fleeing the country to escape failed business investments and debts.

Go-karters build $2m race track

Competition-grade circuit open to public and racers

Eyeing China, Singapore sees Mandarin as its future

A cacophony of Mandarin and English echo through the streets of Singapore’s Chinatown as crowds of shoppers buy joss sticks and fruit as offerings to the spirits during the Seventh Month Ghost Festival.

China walking taller than before the crisis

If any country can be said to have had a good crisis, it is China.

Thursday 17 September 2009

China growth path could exceed planet’s resources

If China’s economy continues to expand rapidly and rely heavily on coal and other fossil fuels until the middle of the century, its power demands could exceed what the entire planet can withstand, according to a study by government think tanks released Wednesday.

Bocom in talks with some S-chips to tap Hong Kong market

BOCOM International Holdings, which recently made its first investment in a Singapore-listed Chinese company, is now in talks with a few other S-chips to tap the Hong Kong market.

Australian police deny Indian race attack cover-up

Australian police on Wednesday denied trying to cover up a racial attack that left four Indian men seriously hurt and renewed fears over the safety of South Asian students.

As Expo looms, officials battle local dialect again

Shanghai authorities have launched a week of events aimed at stamping out what they see as an obstacle to good public communication - the local dialect.

Without proper disclosure, how useful are research reports?

The first important disclosure is the track record of the recommending analyst and whether he, she or their families own shares in the companies that are the subject of the recommendations. This information should appear on the first page for easy reader access; however, the current practice is not to include any information on track records while share ownership details - or the absence thereof - always appear in appendices and are usually in fine print as if they were simply incidental information.

Beauty China not appealing against winding-up order

Cosmetic company Beauty China Holdings is headed for liquidation as it will not be appealing against the winding-up order made by the High Court in Hong Kong.

Chefs in the soup, hotels in a tizzy

Some cite need to tighten purchasing systems; others worry about fallout

China-based Great Group Holdings launches mainboard IPO

Undergarment maker’s IPO of 80m shares priced at 29.5 cents

Daiwa Securities SMBC Singapore Ltd is the manager, underwriter and placement agent for the listing.

Greenspan should visit Singapore - and learn a thing or two

As Alan Greenspan tirelessly makes the rounds to save his legacy, Singapore is reminding us why the former Federal Reserve chairman’s efforts aren’t working.

US makes China one of its four top targets for spying

The US has listed China as one of the key targets for espionage for the next four years, a significant shift by the Obama administration and one that offers a rare insight into the motives of America’s spies.

Welcome to Millionaire Country!

Despite a dip, Singapore still has highest concentration of wealthy households

Why Financial Markets Worry About US-China Trade Dispute

The growing US trade dispute with China—a major trading partner and buyer of American assets—could pose a significant threat both to US markets and the economic recovery, analysts say.

Test of Taiwan’s rule of law

Chen’s trial showed no one is above the law, but it was also tainted by perceptions of meddling

Stiglitz says bank problems worse than before crisis

Rescued giants now ‘even bigger’

Regulators crack whip on misused bank loans

Lenders told of money going into speculation

Patrick Swayze dies at 57


Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze, best known for his roles in hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, died on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, his publicist said.

Party faces decision on graft

When Communist Party leaders meet in Beijing today, the nation will be watching to see whether they approve a new regulation that requires cadres to make public their family assets.

Is the yuan about to go global?

Not quite yet - China is in no position to challenge the pre-eminent role of the US dollar in the near future

HK$24.5m for one-bedroom flat sets record

A one-bedroom flat in a luxury development in Tsim Sha Tsui has fetched a whopping HK$30,025 per sq ft, setting a record in Hong Kong.

Govt takes fizz out of nascent property bubble

Cooling measures to curb speculation; move likely to hit sales, dampen prices

Global banks binge on commodity traders

US$1m packages ‘easy to get’ as commodities demand explodes

Ex-Pearl Energy trio launch KrisEnergy

US private equity firm to invest up to US$500m in oil-gas exploration, production company

Excess liquidity at the heart of the problem

With interest rates at a low, investors have few options other than property

Chen appeals over verdict; expelled from DPP

Former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian has formally appealed against a verdict sentencing him to life in jail for corruption, in a fresh attempt to redeem his integrity and stage a possible political comeback.

Bubble, toil and trouble - lessons not learnt

As long as returns are high, investors will dip their toes into the next big thing

Alibaba attracting European suppliers

Alibaba.com Ltd, the operator of China’s biggest trading website, is attracting more sellers from Europe and has 1.4 million users in the region after increasing its marketing amid the recession.

A trade war with China is a bad idea

The U.S. placed tariffs on Chinese tires, and China struck back with a probe of U.S. chickens. The tension needs to pass. Protectionism could hurt a recovery.

China still likes us ... for now

The Treasury keeps churning out debt and China is still buying. But with the dollar faltering and a trade spat brewing, will China continue to buy U.S. bonds?

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Expats in Shanghai given sober wake-up call on perils of drunk driving

Expatriates living in the city were reminded that their residence permit may be revoked if they are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau said yesterday.

Monday 14 September 2009

Risks seen for Asian stocks after rally

The medium-term risks of persistently soft US consumption and the eventual withdrawal of crisis policies will probably end a six-month honeymoon in Asian stock markets, when such risks were largely ignored.

Nowhere to hide; globally, it’s markets see, markets do

The United States stock market has just completed its best six months since 1933. From March 9 to September 9, the S&P 500 Index leapt 53 per cent.

Sporting chance

The mainland’s branded sportswear sector showed tremendous potential for growth, and this prompted the Xtep group to establish the Xtep brand in 2002.

Multipronged strategy drives sales up 33.5pc

Despite a challenging global environment, leading mainland-based international sportswear enterprise China Dongxiang (Group) has shown strong financial performance for the six months ended June.

Mainland sportswear maker on firm footing

Xtep International Holdings reported satisfactory growth for the six months that ended on June 30. The company’s solid performance came thanks to its continued efforts to enhance the brand, its product design and development capabilities, and growth of its retail network.

Chinese stocks expected to outperform US blue chips: ING

Chinese stocks should continue to see strong performance and are likely to outperform the US blue-chip stock market in the medium term, an ING investment director told Reuters.

Chinese firms rush to list in buoyant market

Dozens of Chinese companies are rushing to raise billions of dollars amid fears that the recovery on global markets will fizzle and foreign lenders will start demanding their money back, analysts say.

Beijing’s stimulus plan criticised for worsening imbalance

Spending will cause over-investment and under-consumption, say economists

Cheap dollars are sowing the seeds of the next world crisis

In a world of systemic instability, reserves mean power. Reserves mean you can defend your currency, stabilise your banking system and boost your economy without resorting to yet more borrowing – or, worse still, the printing press.

‘I Expect a Currency Crisis or Semi-Crisis’: Jim Rogers

The worst of the economic crisis is not over and a currency crisis can happen this year or the next year, because the problem of too much debt in the system has not been solved, legendary investor Jim Rogers told CNBC Monday.

Let’s Pay Bankers in Toxic Assets: Farrell

Bankers that created toxic assets like subprime-mortgage derivates should be paid in those assets instead of cash, which will bring about a more transparent and less reckless Wall Street, Vince Farrell, chief investment officer at Soleil Securities, said Monday.

Sunday 13 September 2009

One year after Lehman’s collapse, the tears still flow

Big and small, investors reeled from US giant’s 2008 crash

Out of harm’s way, but far from normality

Social barrier for Uygurs shut up in Guangdong factory after fatal fight

Protesting Chen supporters target judge’s home

The home of the judge who handed down controversial life sentences in the graft case against former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian and his wife, Wu Shu-chen, has become the latest hot spot for protests by Chen’s supporters.

Money isn’t the only measure of success, but feel good about how much you make

It is often said that good writers never make any money. I have never met a successful writer, so I don’t know if this is a universally held view. But all the writers I do know, who are all poor, assure me that this is the case.

Hong Kong businessman gets partial payout after 10-year fight over hijacking of Shanxi firm


After a 10-year fight for compensation, a Hong Kong businessman who says he is owed millions after his company was hijacked by officials in Yuanqu county, Shanxi, has received less than a third of his investment back.

Wall Street analysts fear wrong bet, follow the herd

All of Wall Street’s bank analysts were caught out by Lehman Brothers’ collapse - and few have redeemed themselves since.

Singapore English

How come talk like dat?

GEYLANG: The new CHINATOWN


China nationals are flocking to Geylang, drawn by low rents and cheap food