Author: Journalist

Summary Climate fintech—the intersection between climate change, financial services, and digital technologies—is playing an important role in attracting more investment into climate finance by leveraging innovative technologies, thereby addressing some financing barriers. While recognizing that technology alone can only be a partial solution, the note outlines how fintech can help address financing challenges for climate investments. It also details the beneficial features of emerging financial technologies in climate finance and explores the limitations of fintech tools. In addition, the note emphasizes private sector efforts in this area, drawing on discussions with market participants, private sector,…

209 S&P 500 advancers There were just 209 advancers in the S&P 500, with the index itself little changed as investors awaited this week’s consumer prices data. Communication services and consumer discretionary were the top-performing sectors, up by 2% and 0.8%, respectively. By contrast, real estate stocks slid by 1%. Boeing was the No.1 stock in the broader index, gaining more than 5% after Reuters, citing people familiar, said the company restarted production of its 737 Max jetliner. On the other hand, Super Micro Computer and Oracle were lower by 8% and 7%, respectively. — Sarah MinEqual weight S&P 500…

Photo by Google DeepMind In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, staying competitive means adapting to new technologies that can drive efficiency and innovation. This is especially true for SMEs that often run on lean resources. With AI revealing its transformative potential across the business landscape, how can SMEs leverage it for success? SME leaders Darran Ong, Marketing Manager, Crestar Fan Singapore and Nelly Khoo, Co-Founder, Zealys Singapore share the insights gained through AI adoption in their own companies. Lee Hui Li, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore also explains how SMEs can choose AI solutions that serve them best. Could you tell us…

Monday: China announces inflation figures for November while Japan publishes its trade figures for October. India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh continues a visit to Russia.Tuesday: Australia’s central bank announces its interest rate decision and Malaysia publishes October industrial output data.Wednesday: The Central Economic Work Conference, the Chinese government’s annual economic policy meeting, begins in Beijing. China releases November trade data as well as figures on lending and foreign investment.Thursday: India publishes November CPI figures and Australia releases November employment data. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim launches a national AI office. Friday: The Bank of Japan releases its fourth-quarter Tankan business…

A slow bleed in crypto since late in the weekend accelerated into the early evening U.S. hours on Monday, leaving nearly the entirety of the sector sharply lower.With prices in quick retreat, bitcoin BTCUSD at press time had fallen back to just above $95,000, down about 5% over the past 24 hours. Ether ETHUSD was down 10% to $3,590.The broader CoinDesk 20 Index was lower by more than 8% over the same time frame, led by roughly 20% dives for Cardano ADAUSD, Avalanche (AVAX), and XRP XRPUSD.Over $750 million worth of leveraged derivatives positions were liquidated across all digital assets…

THE 30th edition of the Enterprise 50 (E50) Awards was a celebration of fresh faces and industry stalwarts alike, as 50 of Singapore’s innovative and resilient privately held companies came together at the Resorts World Convention Centre on Nov 25. First time was a charm for construction equipment rental firm Choon Huat Engineering. The first-time E50 participant clinched the top accolade for being at the forefront of promoting sustainability within the construction industry, through its launch of a battery energy-storage system for use in construction sites without access to electricity. Second place went to health-supplement company Maneuver Marketing, also making…

Jakarta. The Indonesian mining sector has seen improving scores in their adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, but there is still a long way ahead to sustainability. According to the Bumi Global Karbon (BGK) Foundation, the average ESG score in Indonesia’s capital market has risen from 30 percent in 2021 to 46 percent in 2023. The mining sector is witnessing even more significant growth, from 36 percent to 63.78 percent over the same period. Despite the impressive growth, BGK’s Founder Achmad Deni Daruri said that the mining industry was still far from massively implementing the ESG principles. “The…

BNB was trading at around  $715.9 at press time. Rising on-chain activity and social sentiment reinforced BNB’s bullish outlook. Binance Coin [BNB] continues its impressive growth, recently reaching an all-time high of $794. The surge, driven by increased trading volume and heightened on-chain activity, reflects growing confidence in the ecosystem. With strong technical indicators and bullish social sentiment, BNB shows potential for further upward momentum despite minor consolidation risks. BNB: Price and trading activity on the rise BNB, the native token of Binance, has seen remarkable growth throughout 2024, culminating in a series of upward trends toward the end of the…

ESG in a changing worldgetty The impending return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House paired with conservative majorities in the House, Senate and Supreme Court leaves the future of many aspects of ESG progress in limbo. Is ESG officially dead or merely in transition? Is it possible to balance innovation and the pursuit of economic growth with protecting the planet? Building on these topline questions, there are many issues to consider. Did this drive toward reporting and transparency help or hurt the pursuit of more sustainable, responsible and resilient business practices? How can an holistic approach be designed…

ABU DHABI : Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has yet to decide where to base its global headquarters, its CEO told Reuters on Monday, years after it flagged a decision was imminent, but the executive pointed to moves it has made to improve corporate governance.”We are still working very hard on this (the HQ). It’s a very complicated issue with many different complexities,” CEO Richard Teng said in an interview on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Finance Week annual conference. Binance, the world largest cryptocurrency exchange, has long said a decision on a global HQ would come soon. Revealing the location…