Author: Journalist

Here are three of our key findings. AI could help tackle ESG data challenges Data is the number one challenge to ESG adoption. The rapid development of AI has given investors hope that this emerging technology might help solve the ESG data puzzle. AI brings new ESG risks More than three-quarters of respondents view data protection and privacy as posing the most material AI-related ESG risks for investment. More than half of respondents are concerned about the risk stemming from AI’s high power consumption. Multi-thematic strategies gain popularity Investors are attracted to multi-thematic exposures for the perceived benefits of diversification,…

F88 Business JSC received an ESG Score of A from Synesgy, the highest score for compliance with ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles. The score on Synesgy’s scale indicates F88’s performance is at an “excellent level of sustainability.” Since its inception in 2013, F88 has expanded its network with nearly 850 transaction branches nationwide. F88 is currently one of the leading enterprises providing comprehensive financial solutions for low- and middle-income customers. The advantages of its loan packages lie in transparency and accessibility. Notably, F88’s customers are underbanked, so they can’t access loans from banks and financial companies. F88’s loan products…

Companies routinely undertake business development efforts to grow their revenue and profits. Some of these initiatives may bear fruit and result in higher revenue and better margins, while others may not be as successful. Investors should keep their eyes peeled for stocks that announced business growth initiatives as these moves signify efforts by the management team to increase sales and profits. We highlight four such Singapore companies that recently announced promising business developments. Boustead Singapore Limited (SGX: F9D) Boustead Singapore Limited, or BSL, is a conglomerate with four distinct divisions – energy engineering, real estate solutions, geospatial, and healthcare. Late…

Trade unilateralism will be a feature of Donald Trump’s second presidency. It’s already begun. Trump has recently threatened to apply a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico because of illegal immigration and the illicit drugs trade, and a 100% tariff on BRICS+ countries over the dim prospect of them creating a currency to rival the US dollar.Trump has an exaggerated view of tariffs as a cure-all for all manner of policy challenges. He claims they will improve the budget, rebuild the US industrial base, rebalance trade with Europe, Japan and others, and penalise American companies that have invested overseas to…

STI jumped more than 1% this morning, nearing a record high; OKH Global surges 38.9% after proposed acquisition of Chip Eng Seng Construction; Adaro Andalan shares gain 20% after Indonesia’s biggest IPO in 2024.Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Singapore and the region.Written and hosted by: Emily Liu ([email protected])Recording engineer: Chai Pei ChiehProduced and edited by: Claressa MonteiroProduced by: BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH MediaBT in your inboxStart and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to…

  IFC’s investment, mostly in the form of long-term patient equity capital, has been instrumental in anchoring this project and financing a nascent sector.   Islamabad, Pakistan, December 5, 2024—IFC is providing up to $35 million in equity and debt financing to SAFCO Venture Holdings Limited (SAFCO Ventures) to help establish Pakistan’s first greenfield sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility, which will convert thousands of tons of used cooking oil and other waste oils into aviation fuel, helping to reduce global emissions.   IFC’s investment, mostly in the form of long-term patient equity capital, has been instrumental in anchoring this project and financing…

On a scorching July day in Dubai, Sam Lee was inside a climate-controlled wine bar, sipping a glass of chilled red, looking untouchable. Near the beginning of the year, US authorities announced that they’d charged Lee in absentia with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. They alleged that, as the co-founder of a company called HyperVerse, he’d orchestrated a cryptocurrency scam that bilked investors around the world for almost $2 billion. HyperVerse had promised returns as high as 1% a day via cutting-edge blockchain-based strategies, but according to the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange…

It was a full house at The Edge Singapore’s Year-End Investment Forum on Nov 30 at SGX Auditorium, which saw a lively discussion by panellists Isaac Lim, chief market strategist, Moomoo Singapore; Gerard Soosay, CEO, Sunway Iskandar; Geoff Howie, market strategist, Singapore Exchange S68 (SGX); and Kelvin Tay, chief investment officer, South Asia-Pacific at UBS Global Wealth Management.Tay had a sobering message for Singapore and Southeast Asia. According to him, it isn’t recession but hyperinflation we should be worried about during Trump 2.0. “You’ve got corporate tax rates down to 15%. That should boost earnings growth by anywhere between 11%…

Bitcoin mining needs computational power rather than advanced math skills.getty Bitcoin miners don’t solve complex math problems – they guess numbers. While “solving mathematical puzzles” has become a common description of bitcoin mining, the process more closely resembles a massive digital lottery where miners race to generate random numbers until they find one that fits specific criteria. Importantly, there’s no way to calculate the correct number directly – miners can only try different numbers until they find one that works, as reverse calculation is impossible by design. The key difference lies in computation versus calculation. A math problem like calculus…

Extreme weather events are an increasing concern, following a year of record temperatures, severe flooding and wildfiresBusiness leaders globally are worried about the risk of recession, labour shortages and rising inflation, despite some signs of improvement in economic conditions, a World Economic Forum survey said on Thursday (Dec 5).Extreme weather events are an increasing concern, following a year of record temperatures, severe flooding and wildfires, including in major economies such as Brazil, Germany, Indonesia and the United States, according to the survey of more than 11,000 business leaders from G20 countries.The WEF Executive Opinion Survey shows “a significant level of…