Opinion & Features

HOCK LOCK SIEW

Shedding the iconic ‘Cycle & Carriage’ will be a loss – but perhaps a necessary one for Jardine

Its famous Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Singapore and Malaysia account for only 4 to 5% of the company’s total earnings

By striking these deals, Sam Altman widens the group of companies and investors with a vested interest in helping OpenAI succeed.

Chipmaker Cerebras joins OpenAI’s inner circle – for a price

Launching into the magic of the Altman-osphere could prove to be quite a windfall

Building energy resilience is one of four recommendations under a new section in the ESR's final report.
COMMENTARY

Economic Strategy Review: New section on resilience underscores the stormier world that Singapore faces

Its midterm report came before the Iran war; the final recommendations clearly take the conflict into account

In Malaysia, energy subsidies remain a key challenge for government finances. Yet any reform or reduction must be balanced against rising living costs.
POLITICS THAT MATTER

Growth and stability in the storm: steering Asean economies together

South-east Asia is shifting from the politics of expansion to questions of allocation

As has been widely reported, China entered this crisis with about 1.3 billion barrels in combined strategic petroleum reserves.
THINKING ALOUD

Don’t expect any Gulf oil breakthroughs from Trump-Xi meeting

Strait of Hormuz will certainly be on the summit agenda, but China is not facing energy desperation as some argue

The Hormuz closure sharpens the logic behind renewables by reframing it as domestic supply; making system flexibility and resilience a policy priority; and accelerating electrification economics.
THE BOTTOM LINE

From Hormuz to home-grown power: Why the Middle East crisis strengthens the case for investing in Asia renewables

Forward-looking investors are backing companies that can orchestrate the entire energy system

China President Xi Jinping (right) and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their countries remain at odds over border issues and Brics' strategic direction.

Brics+ wall has growing Middle East cracks

At the upcoming Brics Foreign Ministers meeting, New Delhi will seek to shift the bloc towards greater geoeconomic focus

While Grab has captured a significant chunk of South-east Asian consumers’ everyday lives, that involvement is unlikely to be appreciated by its US investors.
HOCK LOCK SIEW

Grab should consider a Singapore dual listing on SGX

Beyond an uplift to investor recognition, the company could also benefit from EQDP funds

Chinese brands are making up for the removal of rebates and tax incentives with profit-crimping concessions of their own. For BYD, net profit per car has slipped about a third from a peak in late 2023, estimate analysts.

BYD and peers make strides in every market but their own

Beijing is switching its attention to newer sectors such as AI and robotics