Tuesday, 7 October 2008

Keeping the Family Business Alive

Why do some family businesses fail? Is ineffective or insufficient governance to blame, or the lack of leadership qualities in the family?
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Asian Shipyards Face Prospect of Bankruptcy

Asian shipbuilders face an abrupt downturn in demand that could result in some yards going bankrupt as ship owners cancel or postpone orders, according to executives, bankers and analysts.

Fed Considers Plan to Buy Companies’ Unsecured Debt

As pressure built in the credit markets and stocks spiralled lower around the world on Monday, the Federal Reserve was considering a radical new plan to jump-start the engine of the financial system.

Shanghai Eyes Merging 2 Big Taxi Operators

The Shanghai government is considering merging two of the city’s biggest taxi operators, Dazhong and Jinjiang, as it moves to consolidate the industry to cope with high fuel prices, government and industry sources familiar with the matter said.
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Singapore Investor Oei Predicts Financial Crisis Will Worsen

Oei Hong Leong, the Singapore investor who made S$7 million ($4.8 million) from trading American International Group Inc. shares last month, said the credit crisis will worsen as Europe’s financial institutions falter.
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Tibet Moving on Climate Change Threat


Over the course of 12 months, they mapped the degradation of grassland in Nagqu with remote sensing technology. The map showed that nearly half of Nagqu’s alpine grassland had degraded. The affected area covers about 20 million hectares, with 10 percent, or 4 million hectares, seriously degraded.
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What Does a Recession in China Look Like?

UBS has lowered its forecast for China GDP growth to 8% for 2009. According to Reuters, “It is the second time in less than three months that UBS has lowered its forecast for Chinese GDP growth next year.”

RBS and Barclays CDS Tighten on Funding Reports

The cost of insuring the debt of UK banks Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays against default fell sharply on Tuesday morning on reports of funding talks with the government.
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Barclays, RBS Said to Be in Talks on U.K. Government Funding

The U.K. government may invest at least 45 billion pounds ($79 billion) in banks including Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and Barclays Plc to bolster capital depleted by mortgage-related losses, two people with knowledge of the situation said.
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RBS Plummets After First Credit Rating Downgrade in a Decade

Europe Fails to Find Coordinated Response to Financial Crisis

This news could be the reason for the steep fall in European indices now.
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Up To 40 Injured In Qantas Midair Incident

I think there is a curse on Qantas or there are ghosts in their planes... so many incidents lately! Calls for ghostbuster?
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Countrywide to Revise Property Mortgage Deals with Borrowers

Facing a lawsuit over deceptive mortgage practices, a Bank of America Corp subsidiary has agreed to modify tens of thousands of loans to keep people in 11 states from losing their homes, the Illinois attorney-general’s office said.
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More Lenders Expected to Collapse Despite US$700b Rescue

Here is a safe bet for uncertain times: A lot of banks will not survive the next year of upheaval despite the US government’s US$700 billion plan to restore order to the financial industry.
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UBS Cuts Forecast of Mainland Growth to 9.6pc

Meltdown impact wider next year
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STI May Rise To 2850 If Troubles Averted - UBS

UBS says Singapore market may avoid repeat of its Asian crisis tumble as long as governments act to stop credit troubles evolving into full blown economic crisis. Broker compares current STI correction to performance in 1998-1999 Asian crisis, says STI may recover to around 2850, on similar PE to past recessions, if strong policy responses from Asian governments avert crisis. But warns if full blown economic meltdown occurs, STI could match decline seen in Asian crisis, which would see it head down to 1500. Notes STI down 43% so far from Oct. 2007 peak vs 63% correction seen in Asian crisis. Advises investors to remain defensive, stick to high quality big caps, stocks that have consistently shown robust free cash flows and return on capital.

Singapore Property Stocks

Deflation May be Next Threat

As countries around the world fight the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, one danger is looming larger by the day: deflation.

Don't Buy Antivirus Software, Vendor Says

Threats today go far beyond viruses, so a standalone solution won't make it, Trend Micro manager says.

Monday, 6 October 2008

Chinese schoolchildren must run one kilometre a day

Chinese schoolchildren will have to run at least one kilometre a day, the government has announced.

Tantallon Said to Have Closed Asia Hedge Fund as Stocks Tumble

Capital, founded by Merrill Lynch & Co. former head of sales Nicholas Harbinson, closed one of its hedge funds after the Singapore-based firm had its worst performance because of bad bets on Asian stocks, three people familiar with the matter said.

Any Given Sundae

Nervous Days as U.S. Consumers Tighten Belts

Cowed by the financial crisis, American consumers are pulling back on their spending, all but guaranteeing that the economic situation will get worse before it gets better.

Like J.P. Morgan, Warren Buffett Braves a Crisis


In the midst of a financial crisis, a towering figure of American business steps forward with his reputation and financial resources for public good and personal gain.

Stocks Fall Sharply in Europe and Asia; New York Set to Tumble

Stocks tumbled Monday in Europe and Asia, and oil fell below $90 for the first time since February, on growing fears that the financial crisis is spreading to the world economy.

STI Weekly


I believe STI will find temporary support at 2190, last tested on October 2005.

Lure of Attractive FD Rates

Banks see term deposits as alternative source of funds amid credit crisis

Stocks to Struggle Despite Rescue Plan

Wall Street’s mood will likely remain dark this week as fallout from the credit crisis continues to corrode the U.S. economy and questions linger about the likely effectiveness of the newly passed bailout plan in shoring up the financial system.

Chill Financial Winds Cool Art Lovers' Ardour

The chill winds of the global financial crisis may have cooled art lovers’ ardour, if the result of Sotheby’s Hong Kong art auction yesterday is any indication.

Visa Curbs Stall Macau’s Casino Boom

Singapore should not be overly optimistic with the prospect of millions of Chinese coming to our 2 IRs.

Sunday, 5 October 2008

Worst Still to Come for HK Amid Crisis

‘Financial tsunami’ bigger than ‘97, banker says

China, Cooperating with the $700 billion Bailout, to Lend More to the US?

The People’s Bank of China (PBoC), China’s central bank, has welcomed the recent passage and signing into law of the $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan by the US government, stating that China and the United States have common interests in the stability of the financial markets, and that the Chinese side is willing to work with the United States to strengthen coordination and cooperation.

Alternative Energy, Toxic Price


Do factories have the means to dispose of hazardous materials generated by biofuels? China doesn’t.
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Nokia Takes on Apple in Music, Touch-Screen Phones


Nokia plans to release iPhone competitor half the price of other main touch-screen phones.
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Hey Doc... Is Your Tie Clean?


The unsuspecting tie and long-sleeved shirt that doctors wear may be crawling with germs.
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Smells Like Recession

US lawmakers okay US$700b rescue plan but credit crunch knocks out economy
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Saturday, 4 October 2008

They Bought in Anticipation and Sold on News

Investors offloaded after learning US Senate had passed bailout bill
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High Loan Exposure Becomes Dampener

Analysts say Singapore banks may have over-lent to property sector.
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Asian Money Rates Surge on Credit Concerns

Hong Kong and Tokyo three-month interbank rates rise to the highest levels in over nine months
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Suddenly, Dubai Catches a Cold

Are the wheels coming off Dubai? Momentum in the spendthrift emirate certainly looks to be grinding to a halt. Last week, Dubai received a US$15 billion bailout from Abu Dhabi, its cash-rich big sister. At least that’s how the lending facility set up by the UAE central bank is being privately interpreted. It’s just one of a number of warning signs.
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Will China’s Economy Sink with the US Crisis?

Anyone who believes China is set for smooth-sailing as the US sinks is likely to be as wrong as those arguing a year ago that the sub-prime-loan crisis was containable.

Many Chinese are recession virgins - they are far more used to booming than slowing growth. Equity investors are far more accustomed to double-digit gains than big drops in shares. It’s an open question how this year’s 58 per cent plunge in Chinese shares affects sentiment.
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Americans Grapple with Libor


Libor, set every morning in London, is what banks pay to borrow money from each other. That in turn determines prices for financial contracts valued at US$393 trillion as of Dec 31, 2007, or US$60,000 for every person in the world, and helps set consumer interest rates on everything from home loans to credit cards.
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China Lung Disease ‘to Kill 83m’

A US study has suggested that more than 80 million people in China will die in the next 25 years as a result of lung disease.
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New York Had Milk Scandal Too

China today, beset with food and safety scandals, bears an uncanny resemblance to New York 150 years ago, says this author.
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Will DJIA rebound from 10156?

Wall Street Gets Rescue, But What About Stocks?

Stocks may get a short-term boost from today’s approval of a $700 billion financial rescue package, but the longer-term outlook is far less certain.
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US Official Announcement

Friday, 3 October 2008

Greenspan Says Markets to Recover as Investors Return

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said financial markets and the economy will recover “sooner rather than later” from the worst turmoil in seven decades.

China’s Bronze Medal

The Shenzhou 7 space vehicle has just successfully completed its earth orbiting mission while one of its three-taikonaut-crew has taken China’s first walk in the space.
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Married? Stay ‘Sexually Confident’

Shannon Ethridge on the importance of physical connection in marriage
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Singapore Recession Will Last Several Quarters: Citi Economists

Worst will likely be in H1 2009, they predict in new report
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Five Issuers to Quit Competitive Warrant Market

At least five derivative issuers will withdraw from the Hong Kong warrant market amid the global financial crisis, according to an executive of Societe Generale, one of most active participants in the market.
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Chill Pill for Developers

Interest costs are rising and they may be stuck with project backlogs
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1.1m Americans have HIV

A NEW estimate of how many Americans have the Aids virus puts the number at about 1.1 million, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.
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Witch Hunt is Unfounded, Says Short Seller

Wall Street chiefs blame short sellers - those who sell borrowed stock and profit when prices decline - for driving shares down as the credit crunch unfolded
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Watch Out For The Next Risk: A Hedge Fund Death Spiral

By banning short selling of financial stocks, securities regulators in Australia, Britain and the United States may have inadvertently added to the risk that the next down-leg of the financial crisis could involve a death spiral among hedge funds.
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US Switching to International Accounting Standards

Video

Spine Under Strain

What starts off as back pain could be a serious condition called slipped disc. Here’s a non-surgical solution.
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Surveillance of Skype Messages Found in China

The system tracks text messages sent by customers of Tom-Skype, a joint venture between a Chinese wireless operator and eBay, the Web auctioneer that owns Skype, an online phone and text messaging service.
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Young Chinese in Shenzhen Rethink US-Style Capitalism

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Thursday, 2 October 2008

Nestle Criticises Taiwan’s Ban on ‘Safe’ Milk Products

Swiss food giant Nestle criticised on Thursday Taiwanese authorities’ demand for it to de-list milk products which the government itself had deemed safe for consumption.

Walk the Talk


View Video

NZ Milk Products Tainted

South Korea's food safety agency said on Thursday it has banned the import of milk products from New Zealand which were used in baby formula after discovering traces of the harmful chemical melamine.

Brand China Reels from Lost Trust

Work remains to be done to build a culture of responsible, accountable management
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Bailout a ‘Disgrace,’ Congress ‘Pathetic’

The Treasury plan is a disgrace: a bailout of reckless bankers, lenders and investors that provides little direct debt relief to borrowers and financially stressed households and that will come at a very high cost to the US taxpayer.
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Don’t Count on a Santa Bailout

Rising risks from US will fan headwinds in stock markets, say analysts
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Train Engineer Texted 22 Seconds before LA Crash

A commuter train engineer sent a cell phone text message 22 seconds before his commuter train crashed head-on into freight train in Southern California last month, killing 25 people, federal investigators said Wednesday.
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Time to buy? No - Patience is a Virtue

Furthermore, it is debatable whether any US Treasury-led bailout would have any effect at all. Recall that on Monday, markets went into a tailspin many hours before the US Congress voted on the plan. So, even if a second plan is pushed through and even if this does push stocks up, it can only be a matter of time before reality sets in with regard to the US market and its fundamentals. And once this happens, investors might just cotton on to the fact that US stocks are grossly over-valued.
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Write-Downs Could See Property Stocks Slip Further

Larger developers saw 31-50% stock price falls in 2001, says Credit Suisse
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HIV Infection up Eightfold Among Gays in Southern China

HIV infections jumped eightfold over the past few years in parts of China among gay and bisexual men, according to new data from southern China.
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Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Technical Analysis by Ajith


We were expecting the STI to head down to 2200 and for the DJIA to head down towards 9500-9600, regardless of whether the Paulson bailout plan went through. The overnight 778 point is NOT a crash. We still expect further downside to the DJIA towards the 9500-9600. We attach an earlier wave count on the DJIA, which explains the basis.

Market is an illusion now

The big volatility of the market recently is only an illusion. The prices are not showing the true picture because the short sellers have been eliminated from the equation.

We are not trading in a real free market system. We are not seeing what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG). Until the short sellers return then you will see the true bottom.

Be careful when they do return (as restrictions are lifted).

The 777 point drop may have been the largest one day point drop but it was only #17 for total percentage points at 9%. The largest drop ever was 22%.

Putin Blasts US for Crisis

‘Everything happening now in the economic and financial sphere began in the United States,’ Mr Putin told a government meeting.

某事在人 成事在天

意思是自己已经尽力而为,至于能否达到目的,那就要看时运如何了。

Vista Inspirat

Transform your Windows XP to Vista's look and feel. Install the free software.
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大秦帝国


I highly recommend this historical epic TV series. Need to have a strong command of Chinese to fully appreciate the subtleties of their dialogue. I've included some briefs on 商鞅, which is what this show is about.

Drop me a note if you think it's as good as I suggested.
View show

Keppel T&T Dive May be due to Forced Selling

Key investor sold over 2.6m shares last Friday; RichLand shares also see massive drop

Not may be, it's margin calls on Agus and Santosh.
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Beautiful Wallpapers



Time to Try a Little Graciousness

We’ve got it ‘maid’ - but is my generation so spoilt that we can’t afford better manners?
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Electronic Evidence Tampering on the Rise

More IT-savvy users caught trying to eliminate evidence of wrongdoing.

I think using Guttman algorithm 35 passes should remove any traces that even forensic recovery software can't retrieve.
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Tough Life for ‘Study Mamas’

‘The last thing we want is more rules, making it harder for us to find jobs,’ a study mama said. ‘We just want a simple life and a good education for our children.’
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Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Singapore Property Hard Landing

House-hubby wants money, not kids

Wife hands hubby a $700,000 household allowance, which he uses to buy an extra-marital flat in Taiwan. What follows is a bitter divorce and revelations of a husband and father who did little for his family.
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Steel Industry in China Crumples

THE head of China’s leading steel company says the Chinese economy and steel industry are both “heading for a downward slide”, as hopes fade that China can insulate Australia’s resource-dependent economy from the widening global downturn.
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American pressure on the Gulf-States to save Wall Street

Gulf diplomatic sources in New York, told Al-Akhbar that they are concerned about the U.S. pressures on the Gulf-countries to absorb the currency liquidity available in their banks.

The United States sent harsh messages to its Gulf allies demanding serious contribution in Bush’s financial rescue plan to prevent the complete collapse of financial markets.

Especially after Qatar Investment Authority rejected the investment of part of its assets in the U.S. market, Preferring to invest in Asian markets.

JB Jeyaretnam dies


Former opposition MP and former Secretary-General of the Workers' Party, Mr JB Jeyaretnam died early Tuesday morning due to heart failure at 82.

Mr Jeyaretnam, who had a pre-existing heart condition was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital at about 1.30am but doctors were unable to revive him.

Mr Jeyaretnam was the first opposition member to win a Parliamentary seat in 15 years when he won the Anson By-Election in 1981. He left the Workers' Party in 2001, and in July this year, had launched a new party called the Reform Party.
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Monday, 29 September 2008

Market News Access

I take time and effort to gather and put up information at my blog.

I like to share with people who appreciates my time energy spent.

I will continue to share with people who shares and/or communicate with me in any way.

Hence, I will remove access to Market News blog for those passive reader.

HSI Commentary

Leslie Cheung 追


I remember watching this movie with my Indonesian friend Wilson Chandra in 1990 at an old cinema on East Valley Street, Monterey Park, California.

Warren Buffett Invests In Chinese Company Developing ‘Green’ Cars


A subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is making a $230 million investment in a Chinese battery company that’s developing environmentally-friendly cars to be sold around the world.
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In Financial Food Chains, Little Guys Can’t Win


IMAGINE, if you will, that a man who had much to do with creating the present credit crisis now says he is the man to fix this giant problem, and that his work is so important that he will need a trillion dollars or so of your money. Then add that this man thinks he is so indispensable that he wants Congress to forbid any judicial or administrative questioning of anything he does with your dollars.
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Maybe Short-Selling Isn’t So Bad, After All

FEDERAL regulators have banned short sales of more than 800 stocks, mostly of financial companies, in an effort to stabilize prices in a shaky market. But the move may have an unintended consequence: reducing the stock market’s efficiency and prolonging the current crisis.
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Sunday, 28 September 2008

Wall Street, R.I.P.: The End of an Era, Even at Goldman


A world of big egos. A world where people love to roll the dice with borrowed money. A world of tightwire trading, propelled by computers.

That world is largely coming to an end.
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Gone to Wall Street

China’s Tug-Of-War With Vale

China would rather not have Brazilian iron ore imports than have to pay extra after already negotiating a hefty price increase in February -- and the turbulence in the global economy may give it the upper hand.
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China Aims for Military Might

China is rapidly developing a highly modern military that will be the equal of Western armies with the ability to operate anywhere in the world.
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The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the Mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers.

Credit Default Swaps the Next Crisis

Sub Prime is Just ‘Vorspeise’
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Continued Outflows Bar US - Nomura

Figures for the latest week suggest that Asia ex-Japan, especially Taiwan, saw consistent net outflows via mutual funds and foreign investors. We note that only China-related funds attracted net buying, while India- and Korea-related funds saw further steady net selling.
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What $700B Won’t Buy: a Quick Fix for the Economy

It usually takes years to recover from a financial crisis severe enough for politicians to ride to the rescue with truckloads of taxpayer money.
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