The Business Times, 31 December 2013

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Microfilm: NL32903
Total Pages: 16
1 16 The Business Times
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  • Title Section
    Lock icon Masthead
    25 1 THE BUSINESS TIMES S$1.00 online at http://www.businesstimes.com.sg SfCl A SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS PUBLICATION CO R GN NO *****2868E MCI (P) 085/08/2013 Tuesday, December 31, 2013
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  • Article, Illustration
    Lock icon Yen slide drawing China, S Korea flak
    591 1  -  But neither Beijing nor Seoul has attempted currency market intervention By ANTHONY ROWLEY in Tokyo ALREADY in political hot water with its neighbours over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s controversy-provok-ing visit last week to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, Japan is ending the year in a
    PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  591 words
  • MARKETS DIGEST
    • Article
      Lock icon FOREX
      65 1 GST INDEX 3,153.29 (+3.53) GST INDEX FUTURES 3,153.00 (+3.00) HSIMSCI 362.89 (-0.17) HSIMSCI FUTURES 362.00 (-1.20) US$ S$ US$ (S$ per US$) 1.269 (US$/S$ per 1.649 2.092 EURO (US$/S$/€ 1.376 1.745 Foreign currency per US$ S$ YEN 105.40 83.10 RM 3.292 2.595 HK$ 7.754 6.112 BAHT 32.94 25.96 RUPIAH
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    • Article
      Lock icon MARKETS
      46 1 Monday Change KL COMP 1,872.52 +11.46 NIKKEI 225 16,291.31 +112.37 HANG SENG 23,244.87 +1.63 SET INDEX Closed JAKARTA COMP 4,274.18 +61.20 MANILA COMP Closed SEOUL COMP 2,011.34 +9.06 SHENZHEN B 861.59 +0.69 MUMBAI IND 21,143.01 -50.57 11am EST Change DOW 16,480.30 +1.89 NASDAQ 4,147.39 -9.20
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    • Article
      Lock icon PRIME RATES
      21 1 SINGAPORE 5.38 HONG KONG 6.55 INDONESIA 5.00 INDONESIA 14.629 TAIWAN BRITAIN JAPAN US KOREA 9.33 BRITAIN 0.50 Source: Bloomberg
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  • Article
    Lock icon Data monetisation: Telcos’ holy grail in 2014
    1046 1  -  Tougher fight in store for operators on all fronts YEAR IN REVIEW: TELECOMS BY JOYCE HOOI joyceh@sph.com.sg [SINGAPORE] DATA monetisation will be the telco sector’s great white hope next year as operators face a tougher fight on all fronts. As tiered data pricing
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      Lock icon Page 1 Advertisements Column 1
      215 1 OPINION Asean’s next milestone: a regional bond market PAGE 16 COMPANIES Asia-Pac syndicated loans hit record high PAGE 5 PROPERTY HDB to reduce supply of larger flats PAGE 24 SME Inc Cookies for foodies PAGE 9 Put employees first, customers second COMMENTARY I PAGE 9 *****1 11 *****4 TUDOR HERITAGE
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  • TOP STORIES
    • Article
      Lock icon THREE-MINUTE DIGEST
      414 2 Yen slide drawing China, S Korea flak JAPAN is ending the year in a burst of economic flak from China and South Korea over the rapidly depreciating yen. FRONT PAGE Data monetisation: Telcos’ holy grail in 2014 DATA monetisation will be the telco sector’s great white hope next
      414 words
    • Article
      Lock icon JTC finds operator for Jurong Rock Cavern
      375 2  -  JAC, the facility’s first customer, set to start up its US$2.4b complex in Q2 By RONNIE LIM ronnie@sph.com.sg [SINGAPORE] An operator has been found for the $890 million, first-phase Jurong Rock Cavern (JRC) oil/petrochemicals storage after a two-year search, The Business Times understands.
      375 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Telcos’ digital push remains a long game
      298 2  -  Positive earnings contribution still years away, says Nomura By JOYCE HOOI joyceh@sph.com.sg [SINGAPORE] While the year’s most eye-catching headlines for the sector have come out of the three telcos’ high-profile digital doings, this area will most likely bear fruit after 2014. “We are
      PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  298 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Resale home deals in November up less than expected
      624 2 LATEST US DATA Bloomberg [WASHINGTON] Contracts to purchase previously owned US homes rose less than forecast in November, indicating higher borrowing costs are holding back the recovery in residential real estate. A gauge of pending home sales increased 0.2 per cent,
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  624 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Massive jam on new expressway draws flak
      998 4  -  LTA to make road and traffic flow adjustments to ease congestion By GRACE LEONG gleong@sph.com.sg ]SINGAPORE] The Republic’s costliest expressway to date, the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), got off to a rough start yesterday, as a bad jam starting in the morning left
      Source: LTA Facebook  -  998 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Do Not Call unit again defends exemption
      494 4  -  Chairman says the intent is providing more options for consumers BY, VIVIEN SHIAO vshiao@sph.com.sg [SINGAPORE] The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) yesterday defended its move to allow businesses to continue sending text or fax messages to their existing customers on related products and
      494 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Consumer staples the place to be as Indonesia recovers
      760 4  -  By JEFFREY HUTTON in Jakarta THE Indonesian rupiah has cratered, losing more than 20 per cent of its value and hovering north of 12,000 to the US dollar for weeks. Shares have plummeted in a run-up to elections, while fuel price
      PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  760 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Schumacher’s head injury: doctors not predicting outcome
      556 4 AP [GRENOBLE, France] Doctors treating Michael Schumacher refused yesterday to predict the outcome for the former Formula One driver, saying they were taking his very critical head injury “hour by hour” following his ski accident. Chief anesthesiologist Jean-Francois Payen told reporters that the
      AP; AP FILE PHOTO  -  556 words
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      Lock icon Page 2 Advertisements Column 1
      163 2 Titanium Wire Titanium wire is high corrosion resistance, good heat exchange performance, damping resistance is strong, nonmagnetic, non-toxic, low elastic modulus, high and low temperature resistance and other characteristics, widely used in various Industry such as mechanical, electrical, air conditioning, filter, etc. Shaanxi Hope Trade Co., Ltd. No. 2 Gaoxin
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  • Page 3 Advertisements
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      360 3 OUR HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO 800 Super Waste Management Pte Ltd For being re-appointed as Public Waste Collector for the Ang Mo Kio Toa Payoh Sector Building a Legacy of Protecting the Environment From 1 January 2014, 800 Super Waste Management Pte Ltd will be providing refuse collection and recycling services
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  • COMPANY NEWS
    • Article
      Lock icon Asia-Pac syndicated loans hit record high
      545 5  -  Loans raised in China and HK made up 42% of total volume of US$462b By MICHELLE QUAH michquah@sph.com.sg THE volume of syndicated loans reached a record high in the Asia-Pacific this year, with borrowers from China unsurprisingly accounting for the largest portion. Figures released
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon ThaiBev’s plans for F&N stake seen clearer after FCL listing
      556 5  -  By ONG CHOR HAO ongch@sph.com.sg MORE could come to light about Thai Beverage Public Co’s (ThaiBev’s) plans for its stake in conglomerate Fraser Neave (F&N), as a listing for Frasers Centrepoint Limited (FCL) draws nearer. F&N will close the books
      PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  556 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon SGX becomes CFTC’s first Asian derivatives clearing organisation
      544 7  -  New and existing US customers can now clear deals through SGX clearing house By JACQUELYN CHEOK jaccheok@sph.com.sg SINGAPORE Exchange (SGX) has become the first in Asia to be authorised as a derivatives clearing organisation (DCO) by US derivatives regulator Commodity Futures Trading
      ST FILE PHOTO  -  544 words
    • COMPANY BRIEFS
      • Article
        Lock icon Tiger Airways to have new CFO
        86 7 TIGER Airways has named Vanessa Lau Man Yee, the former Neptune Orient Lines group financial controller and current Brightoil Shipping Singapore chief financial officer, as its CFO to replace Khushi Ram. The appointment takes effect on Jan 23 next year. The change for Mr
        86 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Halcyon extends date for JFL Agro takeover
        56 7 RUBBER supplier Halcyon Agri Corp said it has extended the completion date of its planned acquisition of Malaysian plantation owner JFL Agro by three months, to March 31, 2014. Halcyon also said that precedent conditions for the acquisition of CLS Sdn Bhd, a
        56 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Vard secures vessel contract
        50 7 SHIPBUILDER Vard Holdings will design and build one diving support and construction vessel for new customer Harkand Group for over one billion Norwegian kroner (S$207 million), with an option for a second similar vessel. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2016.
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      • Article
        Lock icon China Flexible Q4 net loss widens
        91 7 PLASTIC packaging maker China Flexible Packaging Holdings posted a 4.7 per cent widening of net loss to 405.1 million yuan (S$84.6 million), or 0.833 yuan per share, for the fourth quarter ended Oct 31. Full-year net loss was 14.5 per cent wider at 630
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    • Article
      Lock icon China Jishan banks on finance services
      565 7  -  Textile firm’s unit taking 51% of new JV firm By ANDREA SOH sandrea@sph.com.sg IN A bid to diversify its business, struggling textile firm China Jishan Holdings is moving into financial services. A wholly owned subsidiary of the mainboard-listed firm, Zhejiang Jishan Printing and Dyeing
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon HanKore in deal with China Everbright Water
      432 7  -  By ANDREA SOH sandrea@sph.com.sg WATER treatment technology firm HanKore Environment Tech Group plans to buy all the environmental water assets of China Everbright Water Investments, in a deal that would turn the firm into a subsidiary of the latter. The acquisition will be
      PHOTO: HANKORE ENVIRONMENT TECH GROUP  -  432 words
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      Lock icon Page 5 Advertisements Column 1
      205 5 NOTICE Jangho Curtain Wall Singapore Pte Ltd is a company in the business of providing curtain wall solutions. In the course of business operation we did not ensure our computer software was properly licensed. We had then not recognised that our own business is built on the respect of intellectual
      205 words
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  • SINGAPORE MARKETS
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon STI rises for sixth successive session
      567 6  -  Rotational punting of penny stocks continues, albeit at a more subdued pace than last week STOCKS R SIVANITHY sivan@sph.com.sg Senior Correspondent THE Straits Times Index (STI) managed a sixth consecutive rise yesterday, gaining 3.53 points to end at 3,153.29, about 14 points below the
      Source: Bloomberg  -  567 words
    • Article
      Lock icon SECURITIES TRADING SCOREBOARD
      186 6 MAIN CATL TOTAL Up Down Unch Up Down Unch Up Down Unch Multi Ind 2 9 4 0 0 0 2 9 4 Manufacturing 54 43 43 11 2 11 65 45 54 Commerce 29 18 18 5 1 6 34 19 24 Tpt/Stor/Comms 23 8 6
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    • Article
      Lock icon SECURITIES TRADING TURNOVER
      121 6 TURNOVER (‘000) VALUE (‘000) MAIN CATL TOTAL MAIN CATL TOTAL Multi Ind 9,650 9,650 50,919 50,919 Manufacturing 338,605 93,242 431,847 114,819 4,439 119,258 Commerce 237,141 848,987 1,086,128 33,212 71,755 104,967 Tpt/Stor/Comms 72,295 13,669 85,964 88,396 1,670 90,066 Finance 49,106 101 49,207 84,370 33 84,402 Construction 85,501 330,005
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    • Article
      Lock icon STRAITS TIMES INDEX STOCKS
      110 6 Stock name Close Change CapMallsAsia 1.965 +0.020 CapitaLand 3.020 -0.010 CapitaMall 1.890 -0.020 CityDev 9.570 -0.030 ComfortDelGro 2.000 +0.005 DBS Grp 17.000 -0.030 GLP 2.870 Genting SP 1.470 Golden Agri 0.545 +0.005 HK Land 5.830 +0.030 HPH Trust US$ 0.670 +0.005 JMH 52.100 +0.170 JSH 32.130
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon STRAITS TIMES INDEX
      4 6 DAILY
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    • Article
      Lock icon OTHER SINGAPORE INDICES
      77 6 Dec 30 VALUE CLOSE BT OB/OS 546.00 +31.00 BT CADI -*****.00 +69.00 BT 10-day MA -*****.00 +54.00 FTSE ST Mid Cap 720.39 +0.38 FTSE ST Small Cap 540.21 +1.81 FTSE ST All Share 765.36 +0.91 FTSE ST China Top 197.78 +0.08 FTSE ST China 223.29 +0.45 FTSE
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    • Article
      Lock icon MOST ACTIVE STOCKS
      57 6 VOLUME Charisma Energy 324,132,000 Albedo 276,022,000 WE Hldgs 259,707,000 Vallianz Hldgs 172,915,000 Armarda 165,977,000 Digiland 163,093,000 Adventus 64,426,000 Nam Cheong 62,879,000 IPCO Intl 57,324,000 Ntegrator 53,453,000 VALUE($) SingTel 43,996,440 DBS Grp 37,574,960 Vallianz Hldgs 33,945,763 Keppel Corp 33,567,330 Charisma Energy 25,993,501 Nam Cheong 19,420,665 F&N 18,838,080 UOB
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    • BROKERS’ TAKE
      • Article, Illustration
        Lock icon Singapore Banking Sector
        897 6  -  Compiled by ANDREA SOH Phillip Securities Research, Dec 30 Net interest margins to rebound? HAVING experienced significant net interest margin (NIM) compressions for a number of periods, there is finally a clearer sight of a recovery in industry-wide NIMs with the start of quantitative easing (QE) tapering
        Source: Bloomberg  -  897 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Dollar hits five-year high against yen
      477 6 CURRENCIES Bloomb erg [LONDON] The US dollar yesterday rose to a five-year high against the yen and headed for an annual gain against most major peers on optimism that a sustained US recovery will enable the Federal Reserve to cease currency-debasing stimulus in 2014.
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: REUTERS  -  477 words
    • Article
      Lock icon RISES
      111 6 BY CENTS CLOSE UP IS S&P500 ***** 404.6 1.8 DBXT Nifty 10US$ ***** 107.8 0.8 Lyxor Indonesia10US$ 7048 66.0 0.7 DBXT DBCBDJUBS 10US$ 2914 29.2 0.8 Hyflux 6% CPS 10 ***** 26.0 0.2 JMH 5210 21.6 0.3 JSH 3213 21.6 0.5 IS ASIA HYG100S$D 1335 14.0 1.1 Isetan 431
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    • Article
      Lock icon FALLS
      128 6 BY CENTS CLOSE DOWN F&N 349 -289.0 -45.3 DBXT MSTHAI 10US$ 1762 -149.7 -6.3 GLD 10US$ ***** -104.0 -0.7 DBXT FTVietnam 10US$ 2384 -73.6 -2.4 Lyxor ThaiSET 10US$ ***** -38.1 -0.3 CSE Global 78 -27.0 -25.7 DBS Bk 4.7% NCPS 100 ***** -15.0 -0.1 Lyxor Europe 10 US$ 1543
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon FTSE ST CATALIST INDEX
      5 6 DAILY
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      Lock icon Page 7 Advertisements Column 1
      871 7 NOTICES IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT CAP 50 AND IN THE MATTER OF BIZLUMBER INTERNATIONAL TRADING PTE. LTD. (Co. Reg. No. *****3017E) NOTICE OF RESOLUTION FOR MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP (Pursuant to Section 290) At the Extraordinary General Meeting of the members of the above-named Company, duly convened and
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  • SINGAPORE NEWS
    • Article
      Lock icon SMEs seek more govt support in Budget 2014
      575 8  -  Rising land costs and tighter manpower supply among their challenges: survey By MALMINDERJIT SINGH msingh@sph.com.sg BUSINESSES here hope the government will give them more support next year, so they can meet the challenges of improving their productivity, coping with rising land costs,
      575 words
    • Article
      Lock icon 800,000 households to get $135m GST rebates in January
      353 8  -  By VIVIEN SHIAO vshiao@sph.com.sg ABOUT 800,000 Singaporean HDB households stand to benefit from $135 million worth of GST Voucher Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates in January next year. The U-Save rebate is the household component of the permanent GST Voucher scheme that was
      353 words
    • SINGAPORE ROUNDUP
      • Article
        Lock icon Two new board members at Tote Board
        85 8 TWO individuals have been appointed to the board of the Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board). They are Ng Soo Nam, the managing director and head of Asian equities at Threadneedle Investments Singapore, and Thali Koattiath Udairam, the group chief executive at Eastern Health
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      • Article
        Lock icon Meinhardt acquires LBW Consultants
        52 8 MEINHARDT Group International, a global engineering, planning and management consultancy firm owned and headquartered in Singapore, has announced the acqusition of LBW Consultants LLP, a local provider of civil, structural and project management services. LBW Consultants is led by Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Lee
        52 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Top hits in 2013
      748 8  -  As the market winds down in December, we take a look at some of the key market trends in the jobs and housing sectors, according to online classifieds, ST701 Text: Mindy Tan Most viewed condominiums (including Executive Condos) IRipple Bay in Pasir Ris garnered the most
      BT Graphics: Jennifer Chua  -  748 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Almost half of people who make resolutions will break them by March
      472 8  -  Main reasons for failure are the lack of willpower, discipline, and time: poll By CHAN YI WEN By yiwenc@sph.com.sg IT IS the last day of 2013, a day commonly associated with the making of New Year’s resolutions. But
      Source: Great Eastern Life survey  -  472 words
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  • SME Inc
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Cookies for foodies
      1195 9  -  My Lovebites’ Olivia Lim tells FELDA CHAY the story of how her baking hobby turned into a business venture which counts BMW Asia among its clients FELDA CHAY feldac@sph.com.sg Olivia Lim: I never baked until 2000, when I was 24. That was when I moved to Melbourne
      PHOTOS: YEN MENG JIIN  -  1,195 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Put employees first, customers second
      1030 9  -  Top manager Vineet Nayar says organisation transformation begins with building an environment of trust and transparency COMMENTARY By DARREN HANSON The writer is a visiting associate professor at NUS Business School. This article was first published on the school’s Think Business portal (thinkbusiness.nus.edu MANAGERS often
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      Lock icon Page 9 Advertisements Column 1
      65 9 HAVE an interesting story on an SME to share? Drop us a note on why you think the company should be featured in our weekly SME Inc pages, with details such as how the company has grown and its expansion plans. Send your e-mail to Felda Chay at feldac@sph.com.sg with
      65 words
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  • MALAYSIA/INDONESIA
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Indonesia’s bid for supremacy in tin market looks to be paying off
      1223 10 It is challenging the LME by imposing strict export rules, driving up tin prices Reuters [PANGKAL PINANG, Indonesia] Indonesia’s bold attempt to challenge the London Metal Exchange (LME) for supremacy in the global tin market by imposing strict
      Reuters; PHOTO: REUTERS  -  1,223 words
    • Article
      Lock icon MACC pleads inability in Najib stepson probe
      489 10  -  No law lets it check asset ownership beyond one’s income By S JAYASANKARAN in Kuala Lumpur THE Malaysian Anti-Cor-ruption Commission (MACC) said yesterday that it lacked the power to investigate claims that a stepson of Prime Minister Najib Razak had purchased a home
      489 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Rupiah posts biggest annual loss since 2000
      304 10 Bloomberg [SINGAPORE] Indonesia’s rupiah posted its biggest annual loss since 2000 due to a record current account deficit and as the Federal Reserve prepares to pare stimulus that’s boosted inflows to emerging markets. Global funds sold US$1.9 billion more Indonesian stocks than they
      Bloomberg  -  304 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Indonesia inflation seen to ease in December
      480 10 Reuters [JAKARTA] Indonesia will report a set of economic data on Thursday that is expected to show easing inflation in December but a swing back to a trade deficit during October. During 2013, high inflation and sizable trade deficits have been factors hurting
      Reuters; PHOTO: AFP  -  480 words
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  • GREATER CHINA/INDIA
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Rupee bond sales increase as RBI eases funding curbs
      949 11 Analysts expect Indian economy to pick up next year and draw issuers Bloom berg [MUMBAI] Rupee-denomi-nated bond sales rebounded from a five-year low this quarter after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan started to ease a cash crunch. Housing
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: AP  -  949 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Inflation limits RBI’s ability to boost growth in India: Rajan
      312 11 Reuters [MUMBAI] Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan says the challenge of containing inflation is limiting the central bank’s ability to boost economic growth, while urging the government to continue with fiscal consolidation to support the economy. The
      Reuters  -  312 words
    • Article
      Lock icon GM to recall 1.5 million cars in China
      255 11 WP [BEIJING] General Motors will recall about 1.46 million cars in China, its largest market, in the nation’s biggest callback since a new law broadening manufacturer liability came into force. Shanghai General Motors Co, GM’s passenger-car venture with SAIC Motor Corp, is
      WP  -  255 words
    • Article
      Lock icon China 7-day repo rate seen averaging 4.5%
      944 11 Bloomberg [SHANGHAI] China’s benchmark money-market rate will probably stay near a record in the coming quarter as policymakers seek to cut overall debt that a state-run researcher estimates has topped US$18 trillion. The seven-day repurchase rate will average 4.5 per cent, according to
      Bloomberg  -  944 words
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      Lock icon Page 11 Advertisements Column 1
      58 11 If R 0 P E R T Y u i, r\ *r ,r FM ready 587/40, V 4s f H Silas S ";s"“3 ,i m; Penihsu'la C0MPL People's Pk r/t g,s Cub <h Street Centre High CENTRAL SHOPS FOR SALE Check this and many other properties in CATS Classified in
      58 words
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      Lock icon Page 11 Advertisements Column 2
      49 11 ACADEMY 2014 Participate in the NO. 1 CHILDREN'S EDUCATION SHOW! Suntec Singapore 6-8 June 2014 111 am 9pm BOOK NOW! Limited Booths available! I: For more information, please contact Ms Adeline Goh 9681 8289 gohtna@sph.com.sg Mr Jeffrey Foo 9008 9391 jefffoo@sph.com.sg www.thekidzacademy.com.sg Organised by: sphere A SUBSIDIARY OF SfJl
      49 words
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  • WORLD
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Rising income gap hitting Americans hard
      1050 12 Low-income group losing benefits, middle class also cutting back Bloomberg [WASHINGTON] Rising income inequality is starting to hit home for many American households as they run short of places to reach for a few extra bucks. As the gap between the rich and poor
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: REUTERS  -  1,050 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Voice-recognition tech gaining ground in finance
      754 12 Bloomberg [PORTLAND] First, it was the tellers. Now, call centres are under threat as financial services firms weigh new voice-activation technology to cut the cost of customer service. USAA, Geico Corp and other financial firms are turning smartphones into virtual clerks. USAA in February
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: REUTERS  -  754 words
    • Article
      Lock icon UK warns of graphene investment scams
      186 12 Reu ters [LONDON] Britain’s financial regulator has warned consumers to be wary of dubious investments in graphene offered by unscrupulous brokers aiming to cash in on the excitement generated by the “miracle material”. Graphene, discovered in 2004 at the University of Manchester, is a
      Reuters  -  186 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Artificial intelligence threatens employment
      825 12 Computers are starting to crack human skills NYT [TOKYO] If a computer could ace the entrance exam for a top university, what would that mean for mere mortals with average intellects? This is a question that has bothered Noriko Arai, a mathematics professor, ever since the
      NYT  -  825 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Workers of all ages face global retirement crisis
      682 13 Many will work past age of 65 as living standards fall, poverty rates rise AP [FRANKFURT] A global retirement crisis is bearing down on workers of all ages. It will play out for decades, and its consequences will be far-reaching. Many people
      AP  -  682 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Thai army eases fears of coup amid political crisis
      465 13 Army spokesman tries to quell social media rumours Reuters AP [BANGKOK] Thailand’s powerful but politicised army sought to ease fears yesterday that it might step in to resolve a festering political crisis, while anti-govern-ment protesters entrenched positions around Bangkok as they
      Reuters; AP  -  465 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Japan wage rise unlikely to outpace inflation
      538 13 Bloomberg [TOKYO] Japanese employers will fail in the next fiscal year to heed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s goal of wage increases that outpace inflation, highlighting risks that the nation’s recovery will stall, surveys of economists show. Labour cash earnings, the benchmark for wages,
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  538 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Fancy a 110-inch ultra-HD TV with 4x more pixels?
      406 13 Samsung launch signals move away from OLED TVs AP [SEOUL] Samsung said a 110-inch TV that has four times the resolution of standard high-definition TVs is going on sale for about US$150,000 in South Korea. The launch yesterday of the giant
      AP; PHOTO: AP  -  406 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Younger Germans give inflation worries a miss
      1039 14 They worry more about impact of deleveraging from eurozone debt crisis Bloomberg [BERLIN] When Walter Baltes was five years old, he thought that money came in bundles of banknotes. His grandmother carried them in her arms to the bakery to pay for bread.
      Bloomberg; PHOTO: AFP  -  1,039 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Love for US Treasuries endures despite first annual loss since 2009
      881 14 Demand is stronger than before the financial crisis WP [NEW YORK] For all the losses on Treasuries this year, demand for US government debt remains stronger than before the financial crisis. Investors bid for US$5.75 trillion of notes in
      WP  -  881 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Greece preparing a return to bond markets in H2 2014
      260 14 AFP [ATHENS] Bailed-out Greece is hoping to return to bond markets in the second half of 2014 but only if growth and a primary budget surplus permits, its finance minister said. “We are preparing a return to the markets in
      AFP  -  260 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Time Inc set to become a separate public company
      749 14 NYT [NEW YORK] Time Inc, the largest magazine publisher in the United States, with properties like People, Sports Illustrated and Fortune, is preparing for one of the most pivotal periods in its 91-year history. Within the next six months, its parent,
      NYT; PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  749 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon The man who paid to be New York’s mayor
      1070 15 Michael Bloomberg has used at least US$650m of his own money in office NYT [NEW YORK] Michael Bloomberg loves tropical fish. So when he was elected mayor, he installed two giant aquariums inside City Hall. The cost to him for having
      NYT; PHOTO: REUTERS  -  1,070 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Hacker takes over BBC server, tries to sell access
      464 15 British broadcaster’s security team has since secured the ftp site Reuters [BOSTON] A hacker secretly took over a computer server at the BBC, Britain’s public broadcaster, and then launched a Christmas Day campaign to convince other cyber criminals to pay him
      Reuters  -  464 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Investors remain cautious even as Internet stocks notch a good year
      1077 15 Reuters [SAN FRANCISCO] For investors in Internet stocks, it was a banner year: shares of many companies doubled as revenue climbed and on forecasts for rip-roaring growth in earnings. But the gains have not been anxiety-free, due to uncomfortable
      Reuters; PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS  -  1,077 words
    • Article
      Lock icon S Korea posts Nov current account surplus of US$6.03b
      304 15 AFP [SEOUL] South Korea posted a current account surplus of US$6.03 billion in November, the central bank said yesterday, with the accumulated surplus so far this year exceeding the government’s estimate. The current account figure the broadest measure of a country’s
      AFP  -  304 words
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      Lock icon Page 13 Advertisements Column 1
      77 13 The SME Magazine coming to you with your copy of The Business Times on Jan 2, 2014 Space has been a big issue for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), be it retail, industrial or office space, as escalating rents and transaction prices raise costs. What then are the rent
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  • EDITORIAL & OPINION
    • Article
      Lock icon Myanmar’s challenges as Asean chair
      519 16 EDITORIAL THE recent South-east Asian Games were a success on many fronts, but most importantly, the 12-day sporting event held in Myanmar for the first time in 44 years served primarily as a dress rehearsal for much bigger things that lie ahead for the former
      519 words
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      Lock icon History aside, it’s not the age of the Great Man
      788 16  -  THE BOTTOM LINE LEON HADAR Washington Correspondent THE passing of Nelson Mandela who has been described as one of the prominent political leaders of the 20th century has highlighted the role that great historical figures have played in shaping, and
      788 words
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      Lock icon Asean’s next milestone: a regional bond market
      1174 16  -  South-east Asia needs more of its own investors comfortable with local currency debt By NITIN JAISWAL The writer is head of As e an and South Asia, Bloomberg LP Y A number of macro-eco-nomic measures South-east Asia is on the fast track. According
      FILE PHOTO  -  1,174 words