The Business Times, 26 June 1999

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Total Pages: 20
1 20 The Business Times
  • 12 1 She BusinessTimes MITAjn 046/12^8 8f>c SINGAPORE Internet: http://business-times.asial.com.sg/ SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1999
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  • 65 1 □sn H7BJ4 (-13.09) nsr-su mm 83*30 (-11.33) SDISCI FUTURES MM (-0.70) OTOCK MiHET IHDiCBS Friday Chance KLSECOMP ***** +4.61 NIKKEI —*****.62 -191.8Q HANG SENG 13,784*1 +439 SET INDEX 543.86 -412 JAKARTA COUP #7116 -8JK MANILA COMP __2,463J8 -3466 TAIPEI WPI 8466.96 323.36 SEOUL COMP ***** +4.78 CLSA CHINA
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  • 79 1 FOBEX BATES uss ss USt 1.704 £(l SS/S$ per 1593 1714 EURO(US$/S$ per E) I MS 1.781 DM 1.871 0.911 YEN HI J 1.402* RM 1890 0.448 HR» 7.788 0220 BAHT 36.67 0.046 RUP1AH 1878 0.026 •StUlOOunUs FUME BATES SINGAPORE* 5.80 HIALA LUMPUR 7.25 JAKARTA 40.00 BANGKOK 1090 MANILA
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  • 853 1  - S'pore mergers, acquisitions top $5b and more is to come Boom fuelled by govt initiatives and bottomline pressures By 1 Wong Wei Kong [SINGAPORE] Corporate activity such as mergers and takeovers in Singapore so far this year has already crossed the $5 billion mark, and market watchers are bracing themselves
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  • 1072 1  -  Mounting objection from US groups and lawmakers From Leon Hadar in Washington AS a rise in short-term US interest rates appears imminent next week, more lawmakers are joining the swelling chorus of voices opposing such a move as well as attacking the inflation
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  • 737 1  -  Singapore carrier is oat of the running for a 20% stake Ity < Conrad Raj [SINGAPORE] Singapore Airlines (SIA) received yet another disappointment yesterday following the South African government's decision to sell a 20 per cent stake in its national
    737 words
  • 812 1  -  On-line brokers cut back public access to save bandwidth iv Ven Sreenivasan, Siow Li Sen [SINGAPORE] The backroom computer at the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) is buckling under the weight of the staggering volumes generated in the Singapore stock market. The high
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  • Page 1 Advertisements
    • 141 1 Allied Comp chalks up 141% premium PgH HKBPE HSBCcats hane irtmn rate HSBC Singapore has slashed its flrst-year housing loan rate to &33 per cent as the foreign banking giant flexes its muscles in the domestic retail market, Pg2 HtedMbpntyMP Hie Commercial Affairs Department yesterday charged the deputy managing director
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    • 10 1 o*Ol S'pore May I manufacturing II output IW /o sur9es
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    • 71 1 Market reports, Pgs 16-20 HiJKlfl. IfcSSH ARTHUR LEE Hey presto! i One yesterday did what it says it does well—making information available quickly through its interactive ktosks. Within an hour of balloting of its IPO shares yesterday, the balloting ratios were uploaded to its kiosks like these opposite Paragon building
      71 words

  • SINGAPORE AT HOME & ABROAD
    • 381 2  -  First doable-digit rise in 15 months comes on back of surge in electronics By, Jennifer Lien MANUFACTURING output rose by 16.4 per cent in May, the first double-digit rise in 15 months. This strength came on the back of a much higher-than-expected jump in
      Source: EDB & TDB  -  381 words
    • 481 2  -  It's now 3.33% for first year, 4.75% for second year By i Clarissa Tan HSBC Singapore yesterday slashed its first-year housing loan rate to 3.33 per cent, as the foreign banking giant flexes its muscles in the domestic retail market. In a statement yesterday, HSBC
      481 words
    • 422 2  -  There will be more than 40 merchants on mall: CEO By' Toh Han Shih PACIFIC Internet, a Singapore Internet Service Provider (ISP) that is listed on Nasdaq, will launch a cybermall today, Pacific Internet CEO Nicholas Lee said yesterday. There will be over
      422 words
    • 687 2  -  ETE ON THE ECONOMY Anna Teo THERE we have it yet another positively strong number to add to the recent string of "recovering" Indicators that have prompted big upgrades of GDP growth forecasts for the year. And chances are. before July's out. the second quarter growth
      Source: DOS  -  687 words
    • 241 2 Adrian Tan and Eddie Khoo prove best of the amateurs SEMBAWANG Country Club pro M Murugaiyah and Unho Hutch Park both shot a twounder par 70 to jointly clinch the top spot for the professionals category at the Business Times 23rd Anniversary
      SIEW YAW HOONG  -  241 words
    • 483 3  -  He is alleged to have sold 246,000 shares based on sensitive information By' Teh Hooi Ling [SINGAPORE] The Commercial Affairs Department yesterday charged the deputy managing director of Eltech Electronics Ltd with insider trading involving his sale of 246,000 shares in the company
      483 words
    • 434 3  -  Osaka chamber to have talks with EDB for a start By- Audrey Tan THE Japanese government is studying the possibility of leading post-crisis investment missions here, to jumpstart Japanese investments in Asian economies, its ambassador to Singapore Hiroshi Hashimoto said yesterday. For a start, the
      FILE PHOTO  -  434 words
    • 336 3  -  By] Rahita Elias ATHLETIC gear company Reebok has seen strong sales growth in Singapore for both shoes and apparel in the first five months of the year, after seeing a drop in sales last year. Bruce Nevins, senior vicepresident of Reebok International Asia Pacific, said:
      SIEW YAW HOONG  -  336 words
  • Page 2 Advertisements
    • 750 2 i-One Net International Ltd (incorporated in the Republic of Singapore on 23 April 1999) Invitation in respect of 160,160,000 ordinary shares of 550.05 each comprising 132,000,000 New Shares and 28,160,000 Vendor Shares as follows:* (1) 35,640,000 Offer Shares at 550.38 for each Offer Share by way of public offer; and
      750 words
    • 14 2 Buy It. Sell It. Find It. Classified. CATS. Call Today For Results Tomorrow. 1800-737-1166
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  • Page 3 Advertisements
    • 1034 3 =-f GP Batteries International Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore) Announcement of Unaudited Results and Dividend for the year ended 31 March 1999 The Board of Directors of GP Batteries International Limited is pleased to announce the unaudited results of the Group for the year ended 31 March 1999
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  • ASIA ON THE MEND
    • 622 4  -  Salim Group places out 230 m Indofood shares through two int'l brokers FYom Shoeb Kagda in Jakarta HAVING had their appetites whetted over the past two months, international fund managers are beginning to snap up Indonesian stocks as quickly as they can
      Source: Bloomberg  -  622 words
    • 436 4 Move designed to ensure level playing field for all investors Reuters [BANGKOK] The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) defended yesterday new rules to curb volatility in the market, saying they were designed to ensure a level playing field for all participants. SET chairman Amaret
      Reuters  -  436 words
    • 483 4 It's the 19th time this year cost of foods is trimmed Bloomberg [MANILA] The Philippines cut its key interest rates to the lowest in more than three and a half years, the latest in a series of efforts to revive lending and
      Bloomberg  -  483 words
    • 249 4 AFP, Reuters [JAKARTA] Indonesia's central bank yesterday ruled out intervention to prevent the rupiah from strengthening, saying falling interest rates would cap its gains. "There are a lot of ways to face a situation in which the currency is overshooting it doesn't
      AFP,; Reuters; AFP  -  249 words
    • 331 4 Reuters [HONGKONG] Recent volatility in Hongkong's usually staid money markets has raised anew speculation the territory's banks might need to raise rates if the US Federal Reserve were to tighten. Until recently, dealers and analysts had said Hongkong need not copy
      Reuters  -  331 words
    • 169 4 Reuters [BANGKOK] Thailand says a report from Moody's Investors Services that all Thai banks remain heavily insolvent is outdated. Moody's said this week that all Thai banks remained "heavily insolvent In true economic terms" though with varying outlooks. It said despite the banking sector's deep capital
      Reuters  -  169 words
    • 474 4 Bloomberg [BANGKOK] The Thai baht is "too strong" and may hurt the economy's prospects for recovery by making exports less competitive, said Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi. "I have received a lot of complaints from exporters about the baht's strength in the
      Bloomberg  -  474 words
    • IN Brief
      • 110 4 Bloomberg [JAKARTA] Indonesian inflation is likely to slow to less than 10 per cent in 1999, said Miranda Goeltom, the central bank's deputy governor. The consumer price index, the benchmark measure of inflation, fell 0.28 per cent in May from April, the third month of decline,
        Bloomberg  -  110 words
      • 68 4 Reuters [TOKYO] Eisuke Sakakibara, Japan's vice finance minister for international affairs, said yesterday that cooperation on foreign exchange between Japan, the United States and Europe was going well. "US-Japan and Japan-Europe forex cooperation is going well," he told reporters. Mr Sakakibara said the Finance
        Reuters  -  68 words
      • 91 4 AFP [HANOI] Vietnam's trade deficit has narrowed 82.2 per cent to US$232 million (***** million) in the year so far due to a sharp fall in imports, according to preliminary data released yesterday. Imports in January-June plunged 12 per cent to U555,227 billion due to
        AFP  -  91 words
      • 89 4 Reuters [BANGKOK] Credit ratings agency Fitch IBCA said yesterday its upgrade this week of Thailand's sovereign long-term foreign currency rating would help Thai banks with their long-term ratings. Vincent Milton, senior analyst at Fitch IBCA, told Reuters Television: "The sovereign rating reflects the capacity
        Reuters  -  89 words
  • Page 4 Advertisements
    • 79 4 Painting Exhibition Preview by Pengsong Mantra, Indonesii fly "Harvest jfl Mantra tK[ HK M Collecting Water", Pengsong BHHHWRHQ "Lady". Mantra Also presented with renowned artists: Choo Keng Kuang, Li Shu Ji, Affandi, Basuki Abdullah, Popo Iskandar, Nico Vrielink, Krijono, Faisal, Erica and others /WAy ftlalincia Art Gallery 9 Penang Road
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  • THE REGION
    • 293 5 JAKARTA Bloomberg PT Barito Pacific, Indonesia's largest plywood exporter, said yesterday it expects to swap US$5OO million (*****.8 million) in debt for shares by September, ending months of talks with its creditors. Barito appointed Canadian Imperial Bank as its financial adviser for
      Bloomberg  -  293 words
    • 397 5 m BEIJING Small step to China's becoming major aircraft maker AFP AIRBUS Industrie and Aviation Industries of China (Avic) have signed new accords to develop cooperation in China, the European consortium announced yesterday. Under the accords, Avic will take part in the
      AFP  -  397 words
    • 441 5 BEIJING My Web Inc.com launches TV set-top boxes, Net service in Beijing Reuters A TRIO of young entrepreneurs from Singapore say the best way to bring Chinese people online is through their television sets. And they plan to spend US$lOO
      Reuters  -  441 words
    • 76 5 [HONGKONG] Policemen raising the Hongkong flag during a rehearsal yesterday outside the Hongkong Convention and Exhibition Centre u he i^ a ceremony will be held on July Ito celebrate the second anniversary of the territory's return to Chinese rule. China has to a large
      REUTERS  -  76 words
    • 328 5 WASHINGTON Reuters CHINA appears to still want to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) this year, despite political problems that have derailed negotiations with the United States, US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said yesterday. "They've continued to negotiate with other
      Reuters  -  328 words
    • 613 5 HONGKONG Industry leaders cite lack of expertise, venture capital, high costs as obstacles FT WITH its digital telecommunications network, technolo-gy-savvy population and government pledges to make it an information leader, Hongkong should be the perfect Internet metropolis. But strains are starting to show
      FT  -  613 words
    • 461 5 I BEIJING He urges equity structure of stocks, listing approval process be amended AFP, Reuters A CHINESE economist has called for sweeping changes to both the equity structure of listed stocks and the listing approval process, state media reported yesterday. China's stock markets
      AFP,; Reuters  -  461 words
    • 281 5 BEIJING Reuters A CHINESE sperm bank that accepts only donors with at least a master's degree-level education is sparking opposition from academics who call the bank unethical, state media reported. Since it opened this month, the government-run Notables' Sperm Bank in the south-western
      Reuters  -  281 words
    • 437 6 SEOUL Bank ordered to slash capital ahead of reported 5.3t won cash injection AFP SOUTH Korea's financial watchdog yesterday branded ailing Korea First Bank insolvent and ordered it to slash its capital ahead of a multi-billion-dollar cash ir\jection. Seoul is to inject 5.3
      AFP  -  437 words
    • 305 6 CANBERRA Its support means GST should come into effect July next year Reuters AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister John Howard's tax reform crusade was all but realised yesterday when the Senate agreed to support his government's amended goods and services tax (GST). Parliamentary procedures mean the
      Reuters  -  305 words
    • 235 6  -  By\ Steve Jacobs in Sydney A MAJOR Australian retailer and an Internet service provider are set to unveil a plan to give away computers for free. The only cost will be the Internet subscription. Retailer Harvey Norman and
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    • 267 6 WELLINGTON Bloomberg NEW Zealand extended its recovery from recession in the first quarter, as a rise in business investment and stronger consumer spending helped fuel a third straight quarter of economic growth. Gross domestic product rose 0.7 per cent in the
      Bloomberg  -  267 words
    • 368 6 TOKYO Rise comes amid signs of Japanese economic recovery Bloomberg TOKYO'S June consumer prices rose for the first time in seven months as signs the Japanese economy is on track to recover from recession spurred companies to raise some
      Bloomberg  -  368 words
    • 400 6  -  From Anthony Rowley in Tokyo AN unusual "mayoral procession" will be witnessed next week in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo as elected or appointed municipal chiefs from 28 cities in a dozen countries across Asia gather to exchange ideas
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    • ASIA Notes
      • 114 6 AFP [HONGKONG] Hongkong's Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation said yesterday it had awarded four contracts worth a total of HK$3.7 billion (*****.5 million) to build the West Rail line through the north-west of the territory. Two separate contracts worth HKS2.I billion were awarded to Maeda-Chun Wo
        AFP  -  114 words
      • 105 6 AFP [TOKYO] Major Japanese companies expected their combined net profit on a group basis to jump 283.9 per cent in the year to March 2000, reversing a 65.8 per cent fall in the preceding year, a survey showed yesterday. The survey, published by the Nihon
        AFP  -  105 words
      • 43 6 Bloomberg [SEOUL) South Korea closed Daehan Investment Banking Corp, reducing the number of merchant banks in Korea to 11 from 30 last year, saying the debt-laden company had no prospect of recovery. Daehan specialised in corporate bill discounting. Bloomberg
        Bloomberg  -  43 words
      • 71 6 Bloomberg [SEOUL] South Korea will try to cut the unemployment rate to 5 per cent in the second half of this year by spending more money to expand telecommunication and power facilities. President Kim Dae Jung told reporters yesterday the government will increase public
        Bloomberg  -  71 words
      • 51 6 Reuters [SYDNEY] Australian businesses remained upbeat on the outlook for profits, income, employment and capital expenditure for the September quarter, a survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported yesterday. It said businesses expected profits to rise 6.7 per cent in the quarter, in original terms.
        Reuters  -  51 words
    • Article, Illustration
      90 6 [ISLAMABAD] Leaders of political parties in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (left) yesterday leading a large rally organised to condemn Indian military activities in the Kargil sector. Thousands of people participated in the rally and shouted slogans against Indian troops and demanded a quick withdrawal of forces from India-held Kashmir. Meanwhile,
      AFP PHOTOS  -  90 words
  • Page 5 Advertisements
    • 58 5 The grass is always greener on the other side. With so many choice properties for sale in The Straits Times Classified daily, it's no wonder our readers are tempted to seek greener pastures. Advertise in the Properties section (Classifications 402 to 568). Call C.A.T.S. at 1800-737-1166. it a, 5 CAT
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  • Page 6 Advertisements
    • 54 6 v The course of true love never did run smooth. With so many beauties on display in The Straits Times Classified daily, it's no wonder our readers are easily tempted. Advertise in the Vehicles section (Classifications 302 to 394). Call C.A.T.S. at 1800-737-1166. fa i I CATA Buy It S«U
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  • THE WORLD
    • 495 7 WASHINGTON Economy expanded at 4.3% instead of 4 J%, prices remained mute Reuters US economic growth was more vigorous during the first quarter than thought earlier, the Commerce Department reported yesterday, while corporations reaped their biggest profit increase
      Reuters  -  495 words
    • 247 7 NEW YORK Reuters DREAMWORKS SKG's attempt to build a US$25O million (***** million) film studio in West Los Angeles again appears to be in jeopardy, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. Dream Works is co-found-ed by famed producer-direc-tor Steven Spielberg, music mogul David
      Reuters  -  247 words
    • 453 7 Reuters The BBC, Britain's public broadcaster, sparked political controversy on Thursday by picking the man at the helm of US lifeguard soap Bay watch as its next directorgeneral. The BBC appointed commercial TV executive Greg Dyke to the post, rejecting accusations that he should
      Reuters; REUTERS  -  453 words
    • 227 7 LONDON Reuters THE US economy could face recession by 2001 as the financial market bubble is likely to burst, driving asset prices sharply lower by the end of this year, HSBC Securities said in its latest research. In a report entitled "Bubble Trouble",
      Reuters  -  227 words
    • 658 7 THE MICROSOFT CASE Notes show he doesn't believe own team's argument NYT [WASHINGTON] The absent star made a Final appearance in the Microsoft antitrust trial Thursday when a government lawyer introduced as evidence a comment by Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman, that knocked the
      NYT  -  658 words
    • 309 7 NEW YORK Bloomberg DEUTSCHE Bank has be come a euro bear, abandon ing a more upbeat outlook, after hiring Michael Rosenberg, a noted dollar bull, as head of currency research. Mr Rosenberg, who sets the bank's currency forecasts, predicts the euro will slip to
      Bloomberg  -  309 words
  • Page 7 Advertisements

  • FOCUS
    • 1156 8  -  Taiwan is poised to make big strides in a higher-tech market with its three chip set designers and strong foundry facilities l¥ Macabe Keliher [TAIPEI] SOME 100 kilometres south of Taipei lies Hsinchu Science Park, an isolated production centre known as Asia's
      FILE PHOTO  -  1,156 words
  • Page 8 Advertisements
    • 303 8 rr~ y~'" > f JBMM| n JfifIHMMA Spend $20 minimum at any Grand Draw Participant's outlet (see list i bel°w) to win the Pajero Mini. All entries must be made on the i Please circle the coirect answer i lyftWi Cycle Carriage is the sponsor of the Mitsubishi Towny, Toppo
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  • EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE
    • 660 9  -  PURSUITS Two new 3D graphics cards bring arcade game performance to PCs By Andrew Wee FOR several years there was a distinct dichotomy between "arcade games" also known as action games and "PC games" which were "strategic" (turn-based or slowpaced) in nature. Unlike arcade
      SIEW YAW HOONG  -  660 words
    • 750 10  -  The art world's great summer sales start next week and London auction houses are set to pull in the big money with rare finds. CLAR Ml CHONGHAXLE reports CLAR NI CHONGHAILE Reuters Tennis has Wimbledon, racing has Ascot and the art world has the big
      Reuters; REUTERS  -  750 words
    • 569 10  -  FILM 'Rogue Trader' gets panned even by traders in the City From Neil Behrmann in London "NOT even the man who blew £860 million (552.3 billion) deserves this film of his bungling," writes Nigel Andrews, Financial Times film critic. Rogue Trader, the film on
      FILE PHOTO  -  569 words
  • Page 9 Advertisements
  • Page 9 Miscellaneous
    • 1984 9 CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 9 Time to banquet a saint's Hi jflf VV HT H honour (5,3) 11 Remains at home to check un- I I I I I I I 1 godly behaviour 15 Service equipment for service- -LhJ LhhJ 17 Night-watchman makes offer 17 I I I fiB j 'j
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  • Page 10 Advertisements
    • 238 10 4a vttiv%a Ji TIA j-.,1 Presented DiYICTS Club Offers Personalised Cash Access s esSSr To apply, call: WIICF6 10 WIIIC j CllllC dud entelTdlll*** intemmionaT at over 30,000 locations worldwide. 290 4545 Treat yourself to a wide range of Japanese cuisine. Enjoy Tempura, Sushi Rolls, Sashimi, Soft Shell Crabs and
      238 words
    • 39 10 r v° i M* HOTEL ORANO CENTRAL LIMITED 22 Orchard Road/Cavenagh Road. Singapore *****7 Tal: 737 9944 Ext 400/02 Fax: 733 3175 Western Spanish Cantonese American Teochew. Japanese* getarian j. Mexican Mongol i an Hainanese T »l] Italian jjj
      39 words
    • 68 10 jJsjJL &m#L Eu CITY THAI SHARKSnN RESTAURANT Braised Superior Shark's Fin iWfrl w/Crabmeat Braised Superior Shark's Fin w/Cratomeat (1 per person) Braised Whole Abalone w/Supreme Mushroom Kat-lan Sambal Pomfret Prepared m Thai Style Cnspy Fried Golden Beancurd Baked King Prawn w/Vermicelli in Claypot Thai Style Pineapple Rice Dessert A Choce
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    • 132 10 Mll "121T LUNCH PROMOTION (From 12 noon 2.30 pm daily) Come and try our value for money "1212" lunch promotion bring at least one friend to enjoy the following special prices and discount. 1* M Mtanri Orta tiiMortw aiwirtw Mon Chicken Rice $8.50 $1.00 $4.25 Tue Nasi Goreng $7.50 $2.00
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    • 51 10 Create your own set lunch of Continental cuisine with strong French Italian influences. Mondays to Fridays IOP noon to 2.30pm (last order) f-jKf Price: $28 Revolving Reservations: *****58/88 )»th floor .Htuuiarisi Suufaporr 333 Orchard Road, Singapore *****7. Tel: *****11 1 You will find it all here at Wine, Dine and
      51 words

  • COMPANIES & MARKETS
    • 359 11  -  MEW IPOs Below expectations but analysts see stock soaring in bullish market By, Jennifer Lien [SINGAPORE] i-One.Net International's public offer tranche has been subscribed a lower-than-expected 82.9 times, attracting 131,227 applicants and $1.1 billion in application monies. Analysts contacted by BT expressed surprise at the relatively
      359 words
    • 344 11  -  By, Jennifer Lien [SINGAPORE] Sesdaq debutante Allied Components yesterday closed at a premium of 141 per cent on its first day of trading despite a weaker broader market. Allied, whose initial public offering drew a stunning subscription of 268.6 times, opened at 65 cents,
      FILE PHOTO  -  344 words
    • 469 11  -  Company hopes to have shares trading by early July By I Conrad Raj [SINGAPORE] Asia Food Properties, whose share price has been flying since it announced that it was going to float its palm oil business under Golden
      469 words
    • 446 11  -  Firm said to have considered buying whole stake in mall By. Ang Wan May [SINGAPORE] Property fund management company GRA (Singapore) has taken a 50 per cent stake in City Developments' Lot One mall in Choa Chu Kang
      446 words
    • 751 11  -  HOCK LOCK SIEW R Sivanithy EVER since the regional crisis started in the middle of 1997, companies have been pressured by shareholders, investors and even the financial press to implement share buyback schemes. Many have since been sold on this, with several
      751 words
    • 334 11  -  By Carol Eng [SINGAPORE] Sembawang Resources Ltd (SRL), which could be delisted from the mainboard by August, has sold a freehold site at Moulmein for $14.8 million. The company will make an extraordinary gain of about $3.3 million from the sale to low
      334 words
    • SINGAPORE & MALAYSIAN COMPANIES
      • 591 12  -  CORPORATE RESULTS Group's net loss trebles to $9.8 m; but retail division returns to the black By\ Rahita Elias [SINGAPORE] Metro Holdings submerged deeper into the red, pulled down by its floundering leisure businesses. For the year to March 31,1999, the group's net
        FILE PHOTO  -  591 words
      • 353 12  -  Directors blame lower margins, debt provisions Ryi Annette Pau [SINGAPORE] Hongkongbased Lung Kee Metals (LKM) yesterday posted a 47 per cent drop in net earnings to HK$53 million (5511.6 million) for the full year ending March. Group directors attributed the drop to lower
        353 words
      • 294 12  -  By Teh Hooi Ling [SINGAPORE] The difficult market place especially in the second half of last year pared GP Batteries International's net earnings for year ended March 31, 1999, down by 8.2 per cent to $26.17 million. Turnover rose 5.4 per cent to $464.55
        294 words
      • 247 12  -  2nd half showing made up for slow growth in Ist half By Marissa Chew [SINGAPORE) Property developer Bukit Sembawang saw its net earnings shoot up from $1.3 million to $9.3 million as it realised development profit from projects like Mimosa
        247 words
      • 196 12 [SINGAPORE] Jurong Cement yesterday reported a halving of net profit to $7.2 million for the year ended March 31. Turnover fell 37 per cent to $98.4 million as the group struggled with lower cement demand and competitive pricing in both cement and readymix.
        196 words
      • 228 12  -  By, Annette Pau [SINGAPORE] Sesdaq-listed Circuits Plus Holdings yesterday reported in its maiden results announcement that its net earnings for the full year to March 1999 were $1.84 million, up from $562,000 a year ago, and in line with the forecast when it
        228 words
      • 271 12  -  It will issue 27m new shares; proceeds to finance investments, acquisitions Soh Tiang Keng [SINGAPORE] Sesdaq-listed Serial System plans to tap some $38 million from the capital market through a private placement of 27 million new ordinary shares at $1,416 each. The
        271 words
      • 381 12  -  By\ Rahita Elias (SINGAPORE] Avimo Group, which plans to relocate its headquarters to the UK but maintain its listed status here, would seek a second listing either in North America or Europe if it made a sizeable acquisition in either
        381 words
      • COMPANY Briefs
        • 58 12 [SINGAPORE] Boosted by higher turnover and better margins from completed projects, recent Sesdaq-listing Hiap Seng Engineering recorded a 50 per cent jump in group net profits to $4.1 million for the year ended March 31. Turnover rose 18 per cent to $60.6 million. The directors
          58 words
        • 210 12 [SINGAPORE] The Keppel Group last night clarified that Keppel Land's issue of its new shares to substantial shareholder Keppel Corporation is solely to facilitate Keppel Land's placement of its new shares to third parties. Referring to a BT report yesterday on the placement, the bank
          210 words
        • 113 12 [SINGAPORE] Excel Machine Tools has received in-principle approval from the Hungarian Court to list its Hungarian operations on the Budapest Stock Exchange through the acquisition of a majority stake in a listed Hungarian company via a share swap. The firm is Gar Agent
          113 words
        • 36 12 Form Holdings appoints Ernst Young [SINGAPORE] Form Holdings, with the consent of Irisca Investments and the creditor banks, has appointed Ernst Young as special accountant until the completion of the proposed option agreement and rights issue.
          36 words
      • 532 13  -  Tycoon also expected to give up board seat in MPHB during coming A6M Prom Ruth Wong in Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIAN tycoon Lim Thian Kiat has stepped down as vice-chairman and director of Bandar Raya Developments Bhd, the property arm of Multi-Purpose Holdings
        FILE PHOTO  -  532 words
      • 259 13  -  Prospective buyer appealing against the decision From Diana Oon Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur PROPERTY group Pernas International Holdings' sale of its office building in downtown Kuala Lumpur to stockbroking firm K&N Kenanga Holdings Bhd for 107.5 million Malaysian ringgit (5548.2 million)
        259 words
      • 450 13  -  Web site operator aims to raise up to HKs6oom in IPO Frtnn Meera Tharmaratnam in lltmykong CHINA.COM Corp. the Hong kong-based Web site operator, says it plans to raise as much as IIKS6OO million (SSI32 million) in its initial public ottering on the
        450 words
      • 576 13 AFX-Asia [KUALA LUMPUR] Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd's unexpectedly strong year to March results may have more to do with flexible accounting than a marked improvement in operational performance, and may make it a more expensive buy for Petroliam Nasional Bhd, analysts said.
        AFX-Asia  -  576 words
    • 4801 13 NKNtn CPS IMwToyo M«r 24 P 1.949 7.821 0.91 3 88 Data TV LY TY LY No«i Gifts Mar 31 I 1.3991 1.262 L 2.1L 1.91 rummy inn <$m> ($m) (cts) (cts) NoPalOaskjn Mar30 P 1.3341 0.731 1.3L 0.73 ~NoWaGrp (USS> Mar 26 P 7.727L 0.208
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    • FINANCE & COMMODITIES
      • 303 14 Bloomberg [CHICAGO] Bank One Corp, the largest provider of credit cards on the Internet, on Thursday started a separate Internet-only bank, called Wingspanßank.com, to tap into the increasing use of the World Wide Web for accessing financial services. The fifth-largest US bank will offer
        Bloomberg  -  303 words
      • 467 14 Move aimed at winning over SFE members who may favour ASX offer Bloomberg [SYDNEY] Computershare Ltd, Australia's leading securities software designer, will restructure its As24o million (Ss27l million) equity and cash bid for the Sydney Futures Exchange, to win the support of
        Bloomberg  -  467 words
      • 258 14 Reuters [SYDNEY] Australia's largest investment bank, Macquarie Bank Ltd, became even larger yesterday after announcing that it will acquire its "great rival" for "approximately Asloo million" (*****.9 million). Macquarie managing director Allan Moss said the acquisition of the domestic investment bank
        Reuters; REUTERS  -  258 words
      • 243 14 AFP [TOKYO] Japan's Sanwa Bank Ltd said yesterday it had converted some of its housing loans into securities and planned to cut retirement payments for directors by up to 50 per cent after two years of losses. The major Japanese bank converted
        AFP  -  243 words
      • 279 14 Fed tells regulators to ensnre safety and soundness of system AFX-Asia, Reuters [WASHINGTON] The Federal Reserve Board has told its regulators to step up their oversight of the largest, most complex US banks in an effort to respond to "dramatic" changes in the
        AFX-Asia,; Reuters  -  279 words
      • 443 14 Euro/USS: The European single currency came under selling pressure for the first three days of this week. This pressure caused Euro/USS to slide off the high of 1.0420 seen on Monday to touch a base of 1.0270 by Wednesday, just 10 points off the historical low.
        Source: DBS Bank  -  443 words
      • 138 15  -  Si m rift Reports MSCI Singapore Index Edward Cheung, Jardine Fleming THE MSCI Singapore Index slipped lower yesterday on mounting concerns of a whole series of US interest rate hikes. The market has already factored in a 25-basis-point rate hike for next week's Federal
        138 words
      • 189 15  -  MSCI Taiwan ftitores Cecilia Loh Refco Singapore THE Simex MSCI Taiwan Stock Index futures yesterday hit a record high 0f25,096 contracts, which surpassed its previous daily high of 24,930 contracts traded on April 27, 1999. The Simex MSCI Taiwan Stock Index futures took
        189 words
      • 366 15 ENERGY REPORT Bloomberg [LONDON] Crude oil was little changed yesterday as the effect of a decrease in global oil supplies was offset by weaker-than-expected US petrol demand. US crude oil inventories last week had their largest decline this
        Bloomberg  -  366 words
      • 285 15 Reuters London THE dollar was soft late in Europe, though a rebound in the Dow Jones Industrials Index pulled the US currency back from lows it had plumbed earlier yesterday. The dollar spent most of the European session suffer ing from the 1.24 per cent drop in the
        Reuters  -  285 words
      • Article, Illustration
        1299 15 MTERBAMK CROSS RATES c *""> two ftr Dm HK$ IndBsBupnh Vtn Won 8M N2$ Pak Bs Ptso S$ Band Sfr NTS Baftt Pound us$ to*"* 4 0975 r 6 .l78 0.435 4.163 1.241 5.147 28.779 45.609 0.806 7.662 2.521 1.235 34.172 25.153 1.130 4.016 1.015 21.468 24.324 0.417 0.663 A
        1,299 words
      • 1881 15 SICOM FUTURES .h„r>:> RUBBER (futures ctosmg as at 530pm) RSS1 CONTRACTUS cents/kq) Close Volume Open Month High Low Sett (tonnes) Interest Jul 99 102.75 Aug 99 103.75 300 Sep 99 106.75 900 Oct/Dec 99 m.25 1050 Jan/Mar 00 116.00 300 Apr/Jun 00 119.50 RSS 3 CONTRACT (US cents/kq) Volume Open
        1,881 words
    • Article, Illustration
      1517 16 AFP Hang Seng +4.39 HONGKONG share prices ended barely higher yesterday as investors maintained caution ahead of next week's meeting of the US Federal Reserve's policy making committee, dealers said. "Selling is not very heavy today, but there's still profittaking in this market. Investors are just a bit more
      AFP  -  1,517 words
    • Article, Illustration
      604 16 Reuters Shenzhen B Index -5.26 SHENZHEN'S hard currency B shares ended with sharp losses yesterday. with Chenming Paper leading the fall after the company announced that it would issue new shares, analysts said. The B share index lost 5.26 points, or 4.37 per cent, to 115.25 on turnover of
      Reuters; Source: Credit Lyonnsis Securities(Asia) Ltd  -  604 words
    • 347 16 AFP WP Index -32X35 TAIWAN shares prices plunged 3.8 per cent yesterday as institutional investors locked away profits amid cautious sentiment, dealers said. Rapid growth in margin loans indicates more individual investors were entering the market, but institutional investors grabbed the chance to take profits, said Terry Liu, manager
      AFP  -  347 words
    • 2423 16 LONDON Industrials Jul 25 Pound 3i Croup .7.59 0.16 Abbey National 12.48 0.11 A B Foods 4.51 0.20 A B Ports 2.96 -0.09 Alliance Leicester 0.82 unch Allied Domecq 5.97 0.02 Allied Zurich 7.96 0.04 Anqlo American Gold 43.70 unch ASOA Croup 2.16 unch Bank of Scotland
      2,423 words
    • 1634 16 AFP C Nikkei 225 -191.8 SHARE prices in Tokyo closed 1.1 per cent lower yesterday as investors locked in profits ahead of next week's meeting of the US Federal Reserve's policy-making committee, brokers said. The key Nikkei average of 225 selected issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange declined 191.8
      AFP  -  1,634 words
    • KUALA LUMPUR STOCK MARKET
      • 459 17 AFP. AFX-Asia n Composite Index +4.51 MALAYSIAN share prices closed 0.6 per cent higher yesterday on follow-through buying by local institutions, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index rose 4.51 points to finish at 806.23 and the Second Board Index added 1.79 points
        AFP.; AFX-Asia  -  459 words
      • 8943 17 INDUSTRIALS Consumer products 1999 Last Vol Day Net Cap High Low Company Sato 'OOP High Low P/C Smll 380 255 Ajinomoto 362 2 2 362 362 23.0 146.7 137 46 Anqkasa 113 -1 397 116 110 166.6 293 220 Apollo Food Hlq 291 1 16 291 290 10.1 116.4 216
        8,943 words
    • WARRANTS, OPTIONS & REGIONAL MARKETS
      • 175 18  -  WARRANT WATCH -By R Sivanithy US-DOLLAR issues have been hot for some time but one has been relatively ignored Ipco. This is one counter that has associated warrants, so perhaps a look at the latter's numbers might prove interesting. Unfortunately, it
        175 words
      • 232 18 HONGKONG STOCKS Or Gt 52-Wk Last Vol Day Last Ouott Dtv D«v YM Not M Cap High Low Stno Company Saw COOP) Mtqft Low Buyof ST C vr P/t $mM 365 173 5123 COL (2000) MK 330 uncfl K> 330 330 325 8 3.7 2.4 11.2 6389 4
        232 words
      • 2370 18 BONOS, LOANS WARRANTS wi 52-*k Last Vol Day Last Quota Av< High Low St no Company Sale ♦or- COOO) High Low Buyer Saliar Pricc 98 5 3 s 3160 A Acer ******1 USS 87 »1 542 9t 85 86.5 87 5 80 4.5 s 3164 Acma ******4 74.5 unch 1832
        2,370 words
      • 294 18 AFP Q Wellington +17-99 NEW Zealand share prices rose 0.8 per cent yesterday as official data indicated a recovering economy and im plied a static outlook for interest rates, dealers said. The NZSE-40 Capital Index closed up 17.99 points at 2.147.67 on turnover worth NZ5121.9 million. AFP Jun25 NTS
        AFP  -  294 words
      • Article, Illustration
        876 18 AFP CI SET Index -OJ2 THAI share prices closed mixed in range-bound trade yesterday ahead of next week's US Federal Reserve meeting and the release of new central bank economic indicators, analysts said. The benchmark Stock Exchange of Thailand Index shed 0.12 point to 543.85. Advancers led decliners 146
        AFP  -  876 words
      • 406 18 AFP Q Composite Index +4.78 SOUTH Korean share prices closed mixed in volatile trade yesterday amid foreign selling triggered by Wall Street's overnight fall. Trading remained weak following declines on the previous day but retail short-cov-ering mitigated the downside, dealers said. The Composite Index closed up 4.78 points or
        AFP  -  406 words
      • 664 18 AFP Q All Ordinaries -0.3 AUSTRALIAN share prices ended barely lower yesterday despite a strong rally in resources, with BHP results offsetting losses in industrials, dealers said. The All Ordinaries Index lost 0.3 point to 2,960.00. The All Industrials Index fell 12.7 points to 5.188.30 while the All Resources
        AFP  -  664 words
      • Article, Illustration
        788 18 AFP n Composite Index -&96 INDONESIAN share prices closed 1.1 per cent lower yesterday on continued sell-ofTs in most big caps led by Telkom, dealers said. They said there were also underlying concerns over a possible US interest rate hike next week. "There are basically two things behind the
        AFP  -  788 words
      • 338 18 AFP Manila -34.55 PHILIPPINE share prices closed 1.4 per cent lower yesterday on concerns over a possible US interest rate increase at next week's meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee. The Composite Index fell 34.55 points to close at 2,463.98. Volume was 6.53 bil lion share- worth
        AFP  -  338 words
    • 7493 19 Transaction date: Jun 25 Or Cr M *rt 52-Wk Last Vol Day Lnt Ouote Oiv Otv YM Net Cap A»q Hlqh Law StNa Company Sale COOO> Hlffc Low Buyer Seller C'vr P/t Smll Price HULTHMMISTRY 174 17.5 mb 1000 Acma 50c 169 cd -1
      7,493 words
    • 1555 19 Gr Gr M Wt 52-Wk List vol Day Last Ouote Otv 04* YM Nat Cap A»g H>qh Law StNe Cmmptmy Sa>a rOOOl W# Law Buyr Mw Cw Pft tmK Ww MANUFACTURING 148 30 c 2049 AS Auto 10c 139 *1 1261 141 136 138 139 K) N 0.7 158.7
      1,555 words
    • STOCK EXCHANGE OF SINGAPORE
      • 420 20 Stocks Volume IPC Corpn 5c 119,656.000 SMB United 10c 87,613.000 Asia FoodSProp 66,902,000 SM Summit 10c 43,893,000 Allied Com 10c 41,815,000 ICT HKIOc 41,460,000 Hotunq Inv NT5 34,349,000 Econ Intl 20c 33,615,000 Liang Huat 10c 31.711,000 GES Intl Ltd 20c 31,095.000 Stocks Asia FoodS Prop 64,476,210 GES Intl Ltd 20c
        420 words
      • 577 20  -  STOCK MARKET COMMENTARY Bnt renewed vigour in second-liners, afternoon bonnce off lows give cause for some optimism By R Sivanithy THE Straits Times Index failed to do a hat-trick yesterday, easing back on a persistently weak US bond market after reaching new heights
        577 words
      • ON THE GRAPEVINE
        • 101 20 READERS who have missed cashing in on recent initial public offers should take heart that more than a dozen new listings are scheduled for the second half of this year. Overseas Union Bank said yesterday it expects to launch between "eight and 10" IPOs before the end
          101 words
        • 166 20 HERE'S another effort to tell our side of the story, with the stock market running fast and furious. Some BT journalists have recently been accused of prejudice against financially-troubled companies like IPC and Form Holdings. First, we were accused of quoting "imaginary" anonymous analysts. Then,
          166 words
        • 132 20 ELECTION fever must be hotting up so much in Malaysia that its effects have filtered down to the private sector as well. State-owned oil company Petronas has recently been dragged into a heated debate over how similar its logo is to that of the
          132 words
        • 95 20 WE hear that JB Securities has failed to meet the profit guarantee of RM2B million (5512.5 million) provided by the previous owners Goh Song Leong and Ahmad Fuad Ali to Malaysian Plantations for the year ended March 1999. The guarantee of an annual profit of RM2B
          95 words
      • Article, Illustration
        53 20  -  -By Wong Wei Kong SMB United shares rose 11.5 cents yesterday to a record high of $0 66 with 87.6 million shares traded, compared with its 10-day traded average of 18.6 million units. The daily and weekly RSI, Stochastics and MACD charts show that the stock has more
        53 words
  • Page 11 Advertisements
    • 9 11 Tuesdays The Property Column by Lee Han Shih TheßusinessTimes
      9 words
    • 79 11 CORPORATE RESULTS Leisure unit pulis Metro deeper into red Lung Kee Metals net earnings plunge 47% GP Batteries net profit drops 8.2% Reports inPgl2 Make mountains out of molehills. With so many fine educational and upgrading opportunities in The Straits Times Classified daily, it's no wonder our readers are inspired
      79 words

  • Page 12 Advertisements
    • 457 12 SOMERSET LAND PTE LTD (Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore) a wholly-owned subsidiary of PIDEMCO LAND LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore) ANNOUNCEMENT UNCONDITIONAL CASH OFFER (THE "OFFER") BY CITICORP INVESTMENT BANK (SINGAPORE) LIMITED, FOR AND ON BEHALF OF SOMERSET LAND PTE LTD (THE "OFFEROR"), TO ACQUIRE ALL THE
      457 words


  • Page 14 Advertisements
    • 1229 14 Sejafp 1 V PROPOSED LISTING OF THE OIL PALM PLANTATION BUSINESSES OF 4 I ASIA FOOD PROPERTIES UP In the circular dated 12 June 1999 regarding the proposed separate listing of the oil palm plantation businesses (the "IPO") of Asia Food Properties Ltd 8> 'J* ("AFP") held by Golden Agri-Resources
      1,229 words


  • Page 16 Advertisements
    • 88 16 Hello? I'm calling about\ you're\ Sic Im so happy > I I found my pet through your advertisement in I great...just like r I t~i cv t c j 1 I i j II The btraits Times Classified. I I Ihe btraits 1 imes Classified... J V the ad I
      88 words



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    • 344 20 NOTICES iN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, CHAPTER 50 TONG AIK MANUFACTURING PTE LTD MEMBERS VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company convened and held at 5 Kwong Min Road. Singapore *****8 on the 25 June 1999, the following resolutions were duly passed 1. SPECIAL RESOLUTION
      344 words
    • 199 20 Want to talk investments with your peers? Join our forum at "http://iol.dbs. com.sg/iol/bbs". 83 DBS BANK f IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, CAP 50 AND IN THE MATTER OF RAVILAND PTE LTD NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT AND SITUATION OF OFFICE OF PROVISIONAL LIQUIDATOR (CREDITORS' VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) I, William
      199 words
    • 126 20 r IN THE MATTER OF THE 1 COMPANIES ACT, CAP 50 AND IN THE MATTER OF RAVILAND PTE LTD NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF PROVISIONAL LIQUIDATOR (CREDITORS VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) At a meeting of the Board of Directors of Raviland Pte Ltd held on the 10th day of June 1999, it
      126 words
    • 210 20 "uur aaugnter was reunited witn ner aog on the very day the ad appeared!" Mrs Christine Low... "Business picked up after we advertised in Classified. It really works! Trevor Koh... "It's no secret that The Straits Times Classified is the key to our success." Low Kok Meng... "We received quite
      210 words