Mainland oil giants slide after Goldman review

Shares of Hong Kong-listed mainland oil giants PetroChina, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) and CNOOC, slumped by more than 10 per cent yesterday after Goldman Sachs cut its average oil price forecast for next year, saying crude may drop to US$30 a barrel in the first quarter, and cut its ratings on some oil stocks.

Mainland Home Sales Fall 20.6 Percent

Sales of private housing on the mainland dropped 20.6 per cent in the first 11 months from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics reported yesterday.

China Energy Oversupply Seen

The mainland may face an oversupply of energy over the next two years, as demand growth slows at the same time that many new energy projects are set to start operation, a National Energy Administration official said.

Top prosecutor sorry for Chen Shui-bian

He felt sorry for former President Chen Shui-bian, who made him the nation’s top prosecutor, had to be indicted by the Special Counsel for corruption and money laundering.

Zhonghui suspends share trading as debts cloud future

Zhonghui Holdings has suspended trading of its shares, citing uncertainties over whether it would be able to meet its financial obligations and continue as a going concern.

AG Woon: Wealth is not a factor

To those who question if there are separate laws for the rich and the poor, Singapore’s top prosecutor is most definite: Wealth is not a factor in the wheels of justice.

My own family scolds me for the cases I take

Lawyer Subhas Anandan was with his friends in a private room at an expensive nightclub when a hostess walked in. Her smile faded when she recognised him as the lawyer in the Kallang body parts case.

Taiwan’s Lee Teng Hui Faces Probe

Taiwanese prosecutors are to investigate former president Lee Teng-hui on suspicion of money laundering, following the indictment of his successor Chen Shui-bian on corruption charges, a report said on Saturday.

China’s Economy Sliding Deeper

A series of figures show the Chinese economy will continue to slide before recent economic stimulus policies become effective. And it may be too early to declare that the economy would bottom out in November. It is concluded at the Central Conference on Economic Affairs that pressure on economic sliding is growing heavier and enterprises facing more operation difficulties.

2009 China’s Holiday

New Year: January 1st (Thu) - 3rd (Sat). Back to work on January 4th (Sun.).

Lunar New Year: January 25th (Sun) - 31st (Sat). Back to work on February 1st (Sun).

Qing Ming Festival: April 4th (Sat) – 6th (Mon).

Labour Day: May 1st (Fri) – 3rd (Sun).

Dragon Boat Festival: May 28th (Thu) – 30th (Sat). Back to work on May 31st (Sun).

National Day and Mid-Autumn: October 1st (Tue) – 8th (Thu). Back to work on October 9th (Fri)

Taiwan’s Chen Released on Bail

Media urges fair trial

Alleged Fraud Hits Investors

Investors scrambled to assess potential losses from an alleged $50 billion (S$74.5 billion) fraud by Bernard Madoff, a day after the arrest of the prominent Wall Street trader.

• Angry investors gather at headquarters
• Collapse puts pressure on market
• Were red flags ignored?

不让我的眼泪陪我过夜 - 齐秦

Smoking Ban Extended

From Jan 1, hotel lobbies and carparks are out of bounds to them

China’s Economy Sliding Deeper

A series of figures show the Chinese economy will continue to slide before recent economic stimulus policies become effective. And it may be too early to declare that the economy would bottom out in November. It is concluded at the Central Conference on Economic Affairs that pressure on economic sliding is growing heavier and enterprises facing more operation difficulties.

Olam Buys Back US$118m Convertible Bonds

With clearing price at 65%, firm paying US$76.44m, funded by new 3-year loan

More clarity needed at Zhonghui

Zhonghui Holdings investors are on tenterhooks - and for good reasons. First was news last week that United Overseas Bank (UOB) has demanded repayment of two outstanding loans totalling about $19.6 million. And second, there is worry over whether the company’s proposed solution to meet the debt repayment will work.

Independent directors of Advance Modules upset

Management not giving sufficient info on state of affairs at units, they lament

Chinese car sales hit by slowdown

Chinese car sales have plummeted and the country's retail sales have slowed as the global economic downturn hits the economy.

Good English the way to go

Since independence, Singapore has adopted English as our language of use for business and government. As a result, we have gained a competitive edge as English is the lingua franca on the Internet and in a globalised world.