The Business Times, 29 December 2012

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Microfilm: NL32339
Total Pages: 45
1 20 The Business Times
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  • Title Section
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    21 1 weekend THE BUSINESS TIMES www. usinesstimes.com. g| DECEMBER 29-30, 2012 S$1.00| S$1.00| MICA (P) 075/08/2012 S|Sl A SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS PUBLICATION
    21 words
  • Article, Illustration
    Lock icon US teeters on edge of cliff as clock ticks away
    739 1  -  Both sides still engaged in bluff and bluster as tax increases and spending cuts loom with no resolution in sight By Leon Hadar btworld@sph.com.sg Washington THE Christmas holiday is supposed to be a season of goodwill. But that spirit seemed
    Source: USA TODAY  -  739 words
  • Article
    Lock icon Productivity target may be too high: SBF
    597 1  -  The alternative is to be flexible on foreign worker policies, it says By Chuang Peck Ming peckming@sph.com.sg Singapore THE target of 2-3 per cent productivity growth a year that has been set for Singapore may be too high, the business community has suggested.
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  • TOP STORIES
    • Article
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      1 2 L2-5
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Abe’s strategy to get Japan Inc going again a high-stakes gamble
      733 2  -  Minister admits danger of sentiment backlash if govt fails to ‘follow through’ with firm action against deflation By Anthony Rowley btworld@sph.com.sg Tokyo NEWLY appointed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s strategy of drawing financial markets into his war on deflation
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    • MARKETS
      • Article
        Lock icon PRIME RATES
        28 2 SINGAPORE 5.38 MALAYSIA 6.55 HONG KONG 5.00 INDONESIA 13.989 TAIWAN 5.036 JAPAN 1.475 KOREA 9.33 BRITAIN 0.50 US 3.25 CANADA 3.00 SWITZERLAND 0.50 INDIA 14.50 Source:
        28 words
      • Article
        Lock icon STOCKS
        58 2 GSTI 3,191.80 (+7.87) GSTI FUTURES 3,192.00 (+8.00) GSIMSCI 361.33 (+1.18) HSIMSCI FUTURES 360.50 (-0.10) Friday Change KL COMP 1,681.33 +7.17 NIKKEI 225 10,395.18 +72.20 HANG SENG 22,666.59 +46.81 SET 1,391.93 -5.26 JAKARTA 4,316.69 +34.83 MANILA 5,812.73 +17.84 KOSPI 1,997.05 +9.70 SHENZHEN B 696.32 +11.46 MUMBAI IND 19,444.84 +121.04 11.00
        58 words
      • Article
        Lock icon FOREX
        48 2 us$ s$ US$ (S$ per US$) 1.223 (US$/S$ per 1.612 1.971 EURO(US$/S$/€) 1.325 1.620 Foreign currency per US$ S$ YEN 86.30 70.60 RM 3.063 2.505 HK$ 7.752 6.340 BAHT 30.62 25.04 RUPIAH 9,655 7,896 RENMINBI 6.231 5.096 INDIAN RUPEE 54.78 44.80 A$ 0.963 0.787 NZ$ 1.217 0.996
        48 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Record 50m passengers pass Changi Airport gates this year
      505 3  -  Low-cost carriers and intra-Asia travel lift passenger numbers By Nisha Ramchandani nishar@sph.com.sg Singapore CHANGI Airport has crossed the 50 million passenger milestone this year, just two years after hitting the 40 million mark, as low-cost carriers and intra-Asia travel continue to
      505 words
    • Article
      Lock icon S’poreans’ median real income up 1%: minister
      403 4  -  Chuan-Jin says labour market will stay tight, or turn even tighter By Cai Haoxiang haoxiang@sph.com.sg Singapore THE real median income of full-time employed Singaporeans has risen by nearly one per cent this year despite inflation running higher than usual. “All in all, 2012
      403 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Takeover of the year: F&N and subsidiaries
      286 6  -  By Kenneth Lim kenlim@sph.com.sg WHEN a 129-year conglomerate with a marquee name like Fraser and Neave (F&N) becomes the centre of a bidding war, you know it’s going to be a massive deal. In fact, the ongoing battle for control of F&N is
      286 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon IPO of the year
      348 6  -  By Wong Wei Kong weikong@sph.com.sg THE most hyped-up of IPOs became the one with the fewest friends. Facebook’s initial public offering could have been the year’s biggest coming out party, but ended up instead flat on its face. The social networking company came to the market
      PHOTO: AFP  -  348 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon The long and short of the Olam saga
      318 6  -  By Andrea Soh sandrea@sph.com.sg IT ALL began in the quiet of the night. Less than an hour before boarding a 1.35 am plane to Geneva, Olam International CEO Sunny Verghese received a call from a journalist, asking if he had heard about
      318 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Business destination of the year: Myanmar
      391 7  -  By Vikram Khanna vikram@sph.com.sg IN a ho-hum year for business almost everywhere, there was nevertheless one business destination that made its mark in 2012: the long suffering nation of Myanmar, aka Burma. After half a century of egregious economic mismanagement under a brutal and
      PHOTO: AFP  -  391 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Where you should have put your money in 2012
      338 7  -  By Teh Hooi Ling hooiling@sph.com.sg WHERE do you find the hidden gems in the investment world? In places least expected. Equities were not the most favoured asset class going into 2012, according to a CFA Institute survey conducted at the end
      338 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Financial personality of the year: Mario Draghi
      375 7  -  By Vikram Khanna vikram@sph.com.sg IF the eurozone debt crisis was the financial crisis of the year which nobody would doubt then the man who saved it from spiralling out of control and engulfing the global economy has to be the financial personality of
      PHOTO: BLOOMBERG  -  375 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Gadget of the year: Raspberry Pi
      311 8  -  By Christopher Lim limchris@sph.com.sg PHONES and tablet computers may have been the year’s most visible gadgets thanks to their ubiquity, but the Raspberry Pi deserves the most kudos for being an unprecedentedly cheap and accessible computer. Eben Upton conceived the idea for the Pi
      311 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Fad of the year
      327 8  -  By Jaime Ee jaime@sph.com.sg ASIAN rapper Psy proved that you don’t have to be white, black, thin or handsome to be the biggest pop star on earth. The rubber-leg-ged, pudgy performer saw his Gangnam Style music video a spoof of South Korea’s elite living it up
      PHOTO: REUTERS  -  327 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon So long – and thanks for all the computers
      313 8  - So long and thanks for all the computers By Amit Roy Choudhury amit@sph.com.sg THERE’S a good chance you’re the proud owner of a shiny new smartphone or tablet with a touch of magic. Years from now, they may occupy just a footnote in your memory. That’s because you will most
      PHOTO: REUTERS  -  313 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Scandal of the year
      285 8  -  By Joyce Hooi joyceh@sph.com.sg EVEN with an embarrassment (and how!) of riches in the way of torrid tales this year, the Ng Boon Gay-Cecilia Sue sex-for-contracts saga has plenty to recommend it as Scandal of the Year. As a nation watched agape, a potent cocktail of
      PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW/THE STRAITS TIMES  -  285 words
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      121 2 CONTENTS LIVING Dining L2-5 Design L6-7 Home Garden L8-9 NEWS Top Stories 2-8 Raffles Conversation 10-11 Companies 12-14 From the Desk of 15 Singapore 16 World 17-20 Stocks Stats 21-25 Perspective 26-27 Wealth 28-31 Show Me The Money 29 House Hunt 30 Real Estate 31 CEOs’ Hawker Choices L10-12 Gadgets
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      406 3 More nimble than large caps, more stable than small caps. Why are U.S. mid caps in the sweet spot for investment? Get Substance the UBS House View Go to www.ubs.com/investment-ideas or scan the QR code with your smartphone 0 0 tfe 0w£ Please contact your UBS client advisor, or call
      406 words
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      272 5 THE SCOTTS TOUER SHARING THE JOY THIS FESTIVE SEASON i <?S5 STUNNING VIEUS. DISTINCTIVE SPACE. IN THE HEART OF ORCHARD ROAD, Live at the centre of it all. Located near Orchard Neuron MRT stations. This is the place to be. Designed by uorld-renouned Ben Van Berkel of UNStudio. Define v
      272 words
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      26 9 NEW YEAR, SAME GOAL Rising above together season’s greetings from rajah&tann Rajah Tann LLP Singapore China Malaysia* Lao PDR Vietnam Thailand Indonesia* Cambodia* associate firm www.rajahtann.com
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  • THE RAFFLES CONVERSATION
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Prolonging our healthspan
      2478 10 / 11  -  healthspan Studies suggest that personal choices, more than genes, are at play b hind geing and disea e, says microbiologist and Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn. By By Anna Teo anna@sph.com.sg Elizabeth Blackburn has spent a lifetime peering down microscopes, deciphering the mysteries of the living cell. But
      PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN  -  2,478 words
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  • COMPANY NEWS
    • Article
      Lock icon Corporate governance: Year in review
      905 12  -  Buzzword is risk management; meanwhile, 2 landmark cases lay bare how complex governance is By Kenneth Lim kenlim@sph.com.sg THE movement towards stronger corporate governance continued apace in 2012 with the introduction of new rules, but two landmark cases served as reminders about how complex the
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    • Business briefing
      • Article
        Lock icon SGX queries surge in JES trading
        45 12 JES International Holdings was queried by Singapore Exchange yesterday on a substantial increase in the price and volume of its shares. JES said it is not aware of any information not previously announced which may explain the trading activity.
        45 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Koh Boon Hwee to be FE Orchard chairman
        38 12 FORMER DBS Group chairman Koh Boon Hwee will become Far East Orchard’s non-executive chairman and non-executive director on Jan 1, succeeding Philip Ng, who will stay as a strategic adviser.
        38 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Sky China unit sells Wenlin stake
        57 12 A SUBSIDIARY of Sky China Petroleum Services has inked a conditional agreement to sell its 49 per cent stake in Wenlin Xinghai Ocean Shipping Co for 105.3 million yuan (S$20.7 million). The company may incur a net loss this year because of an impairment
        57 words
      • Article
        Lock icon KS Energy unit acquires rig
        29 12 KS Energy’s indirect subsidiary, PT Java Star Rig, has acquired a jack-up drilling rig, KS Java Star, from another indirect unit for US$68.2 million.
        29 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Federal International plans rights issue
        25 12 FEDERAL International (2000) has proposed to undertake a renounceable underwritten rights issue to raise net proceeds of some $9.6 million.
        25 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Low volume, penny stock fever overshadow cliff
      926 13  -  STOCKS R Sivanithy sivan@sph.com.sg Senior Correspondent LOW volume has marked trading in local stocks throughout the year ever since Greece appeared in real danger of collapsing and leaving the eurozone, and so it was again the case in this holi-day-shortened week when daily
      926 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Temasek boosts Olam stake to 19%
      249 13 Bloomberg Hong Kong SINGAPORE investment company Temasek Holdings boosted its stake in Olam International by another percentage point in the past week after saying the commodity trader is an attractive long-term investment. Two units controlled by Temasek bought around 24 million shares between Dec
      Bloomberg  -  249 words
    • Article
      Lock icon China Essence faces problem redeeming HK$30m bonds
      319 13  -  Insufficient funds with sales down and slower receivables payment By Jasmine Ng jasng@sph.com.sg CHINA Essence Group, which has to redeem HK$30 million (S$4.73 million) worth of convertible bonds on Dec 31, is experiencing difficulty making the payment on time. The potato products maker
      319 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Easier access to foreign stocks under new classification
      340 14  -  By Kenneth Lim kenlim@sph.com.sg RETAIL investors will soon have easier access to about 180,000 investment products listed on foreign exchanges, the Securities Association of Singapore (SAS) announced yesterday. “With this change, which a lot of investors are waiting for, they can now
      340 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Keppel Land China starts fifth project in Wuxi
      449 14  -  Mixed-use devt to be launched in first half of 2015 By Lynn Kan lynnkan@sph.com.sg KEPPEL Land China has embarked on yet another Wuxi project in China’s Jiangsu province, announcing yesterday the purchase of a 6.6-hectare prime city centre site in Beitang District
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  • FROM THE DESK OF
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon SMS turns 20
      850 15  -  The first-ever Short Messaging Service, sent on Dec 3,1992, read “Happy Christmas” and the rest was history. Today, the humble text message continues to inspire generations, lying at the heart of consumer sensibilities FROM THE DESK OF Mike Frausing Regional head for Asia Pacific Acision SINCE the
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  • SINGAPORE NEWS
    • Article
      Lock icon ExxonMobil’s 2nd petrochem complex ready
      704 16  -  Only start-up of main cracker plant in next few months left at S’pore Parallel Train By Ronnie Lim ronnie@sph.com.sg CONSTRUCTION of ExxonMobil’s (EM) overdue second petrochemical complex here is finally complete. The project dubbed Singapore Parallel Train (SPT) is almost fully up and running, with
      704 words
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Woodlands industrial plot on reserve list
      553 16  -  By Mindy Tan tanmindy@sph.com.sg A 3.9-HECTARE industrial plot at Woodlands Ave 12 has been made available for application on the reserve list of the Government Industrial Land Sales Programme. Located next to OKH Holding’s Woodlands Horizon, the site, which is zoned Business 1, can
      553 words
    • Article
      Lock icon SCCCI council gets 13 new members
      333 16  -  Among them is son of property tycoon Kwek Leng Beng By Jasmine Ng jasng@sph.com.sg THE Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Industry (SCCCI) has elected 13 new faces to its 57th council, with Sherman Kwek Eik Tse being the young-est-ever council member. The 36-year-old is
      333 words
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  • WORLD
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Apple CEO’s 2012 pay package shrinks from 2011’s
      650 17 Cook gets US$4.17m this year, missing is 201 1 ’s over US$376m in long-term stock awards Reu ters New York APPLE Inc CEO Tim Cook’s 2012 compensation package of US$4.17 million is a huge cut on paper for the top executive of
      Reuters  -  650 words
    • Article
      Lock icon India’s economic stability slipping: RBI
      354 17 Reuters Mumbai RISKS to India’s macro-eco-nomic stability have increased on the back of an economic slowdown, high inflation, and ballooning fiscal and current account deficits, the Reserve Bank of India said in a report yesterday. A slowdown in both domestic savings and investment demand, as
      Reuters  -  354 words
    • Briefing
      • Article
        Lock icon Japan’s production slumps to 2011 low
        104 17 Bloomberg Tokyo Japan’s industrial output tumbled more than forecast to the lowest level since the aftermath of the record 2011 earthquake, bolstering the case for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to unleash large-scale stimulus. The 1.7 per cent drop in November from October exceeded all
        Bloomberg  -  104 words
      • Article
        Lock icon China-Taiwan thaw clears way for Fubon deal
        103 17 Bloomberg Hong KongFubon Financial Holding Co’s 5.65 billion yuan (S$1.1 billion) purchase of China’s First Sino Bank caps a record year for cross-strait acquisitions as economic integration between Taiwan and the mainland deepens. Taiwan’s second-biggest publicly traded financial company by market value will
        Bloomberg  -  103 words
      • Article
        Lock icon US probes HP’s Autonomy fraud allegations
        148 17 AFP Washington US authorities are probing allegations by Hewlett-Packard that a British software firm it bought out had fraudulent accounts, the US tech giant said in its annual report released on Thursday. On Nov 20, HP reported a writedown of US$8.8 billion, including more
        AFP  -  148 words
      • Article
        Lock icon Change of guard at India’s Tata Group
        105 17 AFP Mumbai The head of India’s Tata Group, Ratan Tata, quietly handed over the reins of the business empire on his 75th birthday yesterday as he basked in the plaudits for turning the organisation into a global power. The 44-year-old Cyrus Mistry was
        AFP  -  105 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Qianhai firms can tap HK banks for yuan
      569 18 China central bank says move will ‘invigorate liquidity in the offshore yuan market’ Reuters Shanghai CHINA has issued rules allowing companies in a pilot zone near Hong Kong to borrow yuan from Hong Kong banks, a step towards opening China’s capital account
      Reuters  -  569 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Goldman Sachs unit buying shares of Japan exporters, banks
      649 18 Holdings raised from October, anticipating elections that LDP won Bloomberg Tokyo GOLDMAN Sachs Group Inc is buying shares of Japanese exporters and banks as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s new government promises to do more to end deflation and weaken the yen.
      Bloomberg  -  649 words
    • Article
      Lock icon Maybank in investment banking hiring mood
      870 20 It aims to take on in Asia the likes of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Bloomberg Singapore IN a year when many of its overseas investment-bank-ing rivals are cutting jobs in response to dwindling profits, Malaysia’s largest lender is grappling with the opposite problem. “Our
      Bloomberg  -  870 words
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      Lock icon Page 17 Advertisements Column 1
      165 17 GOOD CLASS BUNGALOW FOR SAL CALDECOTT ***** sf. Face nature reserve, quiet private. Nice land. $21.8M CLUNY *****/ 9000 sf. 3 min walk to Botanies Gdn ENG NEO AVE ***** sf. Beautiful tropical house. EWART PK ***** sf. Beautiful modern house FORD AVE ***** sf Hilltop designer decor wide frontage
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      Lock icon Page 18 Advertisements Column 1
      60 18 :*AT3 RECRUIT Grocery Logistics of Singapore has a position open for a Manager Logistics Operations Nok Precision Component Singapore has a vacancy for the position of Production Engineer SCOR is recruiting an Accountant FJ Benjamin is hiring a Business Planner Dyslexia Association of Singapore is looking for Trainee Educational Therapists
      60 words
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      86 19 WITH STPROPERTY-SG /\qents 9 e V^° WIIN 3 worth ot advertises redU too' BUYING OR RENTING A PROPERTY? We'll reward you with $888! Visit www.STProperty.sg/deal2win now for more information. Hurry, you have until 31 March 2013 to be one of our 8 lucky winners!’ «i v. ■J <4 Mi r
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      24 20 ALL-NEW! SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND WIN A HOME DECOR HAMPER WORTH $300! WIN $10,000 WORTH OF SPACE MAKEOVERS FROM ABSOLUT OUTDOORS! MORE DETAILS AT www.homeanddecor.com.sg/promotions
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  • Page 20 Miscellaneous
    • Miscellaneous
      Lock icon Page 20 Miscellaneous Column 1
      307 20 Across 1 Confirm wild animal has escaped (4,3) 5 Big shot in the film world? (5-2) 9 They meet in the centre of the ring (5) 10 A host of local supporters (9) 11 Losing a point at tennis but going for runs at cricket (7,3) 12 Cut the bird’s
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  • Article
    Lock icon SGX
    8210 21 Transaction date: Dec 28 52-wks Last Vol Day Last Quote Div GrYld Net M Cap High Low Company Sale +/-(‘000) High Low Buyer Seller C’vr P/E $mil 15 11.4 8Telecom 15 unch 10 15 15 13.3 18 66.8 0.3 3.6 71.8 6 3 A-Sonic 3.5 unch 53 3.5 3.4
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  • Article
    Lock icon SGX CATALIST
    1901 24 52-wks Last Vol Day Last Quote Div GrYld Net M Cap High Low Company Sale +/-(‘000) High Low Buyer Seller C’vr P/E $mil 21 14 t 800 Super 19.3 unch 30 19.3 19.3 19.3 19.5 3.3 5.2 5.8 34.5 4 3 t AA Grp 3.1 2.6 3.9 3
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  • Article
    Lock icon SECURITIES TRADING SCOREBOARD
    186 24 MAIN CATL TOTAL Up Down Unch Up Down Unch Up Down Unch Multi Ind 7 7 3 0 0 0 7 7 3 Manufacturing 76 30 42 9 8 7 85 38 49 Commerce 29 18 23 6 4 2 35 22 25 Tpt/Stor/Comms 24 5 10
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  • Article
    Lock icon BT SHARE INFORMATION SERVICE
    784 24 SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDER/DIRECTOR TRANSACTIONS For week beginning Dec 24 Substantial Buy No of Price ———SHAREHOLDING Trans Shareholder/ Sell Shares Per Before After Stock Date Director Conv '000 Shr ('000) ('000) See Hup Seng 27-Dec-12 Tan Thoo Chye *Buy 2000 0.19 ***** 5.92 ***** 6.57 EuNetworks 26-Dec-12 G
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  • Article
    Lock icon SECURITIES TRADING TURNOVER
    123 24 TURNOVER (‘000) VALUE (‘000) MAIN CATL TOTAL MAIN CATL TOTAL Multi Ind 26,672 26,672 38,408 38,408 Manufacturing 597,140 105,501 702,641 206,156 2,275 208,430 Commerce 289,860 25,316 315,176 98,268 1,145 99,413 Tpt/Stor/Comms 82,802 20,522 103,324 113,294 6,193 119,488 Finance 49,759 221 49,980 86,052 92 86,145 Construction 65,863 116,039
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  • MARKETS
    • Article
      Lock icon LIFFE
      79 25 Dec 27 COCOA (£/tonne) Close Prev High/Low Mar 13 1441 1460 1455/1439 May 13 1448 1469 1464/1447 Jul 13 1459 1478 1473/1457 Sep 13 1466 1485 1480/1465 COFFEE(US$/tonne) Close Prev High/Low Jan 13 1960 1954 1967/1947 Mar 13 1920 1906 1926/1902 May 13 1928 1914 1933/1911 Jul 13 1936
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    • Article
      Lock icon METALS
      67 25 Dec 28 GOLD(US$/oz) Dec 28 Dec 27 Hong Kong 1671.00 1667.70 Dec 27 Dec 26 London 1662.04 1660.76 1663.26 1661.53 Source: Thomson Reuters SILVER Selling Buying Passbook 1 oz 37.32 36.67 Source: UOB PLATINUM /Lon (US$/oz) Dec 27 Close Previous PM Fix 1536.00 1533.00 AM Fix 1538.00 1543.00 Source:
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    • Article
      Lock icon PALM OIL
      57 25 Dec 28 KLCE PALM FUTURES (RM/MT) Delivery Opening Sett Av Vol Open Month Range Price Price High Low Done Position Jan 13 2339.0 2350.0 2382.0 2331.0 262 5068 Feb 13 2433.0 2431.0 2468.0 2421.0 2414 ***** Mar 13 2470.0 2481.0 2515.0 2467.0 ***** ***** Apr 13 2523.0 2532.0
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    • Article
      Lock icon GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
      84 25 Dec 28 TREASURY BILLS Period Issue Maturity Yesterday's Day's code Bid High Low 3-Month BQ*****X 28-Mar-13 0.23 6-Month BS*****W 27-Jun-13 0.26 1-Year BY*****X 01-Nov-13 0.26 GOVERNMENT BONDS Period Issue Coupon Maturity Close Day's code rate Bid High Low 2-Year N*****0N 0.25 01-Oct-14 101.91 101.94 101.91 5-Year N*****0Z 2.375
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    • Article
      Lock icon INTERBANK CURRENCY RATES
      154 25 Dec 28 Against S$ Against US$ Currencies Bid Offer Bid Offer S$/US$ to one unit of foreign currency: Australian dollar 1.2695 1.2702 1.0384 1.0388 Canadian dollar 1.2291 1.2301 1.0059 1.0053 Euro 1.6199 1.6206 1.3250 1.3253 NZ dollar 1.0041 1.0048 0.8213 0.8217 Sterling pound 1.9706 1.9714 1.6118 1.6122
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    • Article
      Lock icon SMX MARKET UPDATE
      99 25 As on 27 December 2012 www.smx.com.sg SMX Singapore Mercantile Exchange www.smx.com.sg PRODUCT CONTRACT HIGH LOW CLOSE PRECIOUS METAL GOLD FUT FEB2013 1666.00 1654.30 1664.00 INDIA GOLD (E-GOLD) FUT FEB2013 558.60 554.85 562.10 CURRENCY EUR-USD FUT MAR2013 1.3293 1.3236 1.3231 BASE METAL COPPER FUT MAR2013 7959 7923 7942
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    • Article
      Lock icon CHICAGO BOT
      103 25 Dec 27 SOYBEANS (5,000 bu min; USc/60 lb bushels) Close Previous High/Low Jan 13 1418.75 1424.50 1437.00 1415.75 Mar 13 1414.00 1418.50 1429.50 1411.25 May 13 1405.00 1409.25 1419.00 1402.50 Jul 13 1401.50 1404.00 1412.75 1398.00 SOYBEAN/OIL(60,000 lbs; USc/lb) Close Previous High/Low Jan 13 48.29 48.94 48.81 48.09
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    • Article
      Lock icon OIL
      68 25 Dec 27 CRUDE US$/barrel (FOB origin) Close Change Brent blend (1-Mth F) 110.26 -0.71 WTI (Near Mth) 91.06 0.04 Dubai (1-Mth F) 106.17 0.88 Tapis blend 116.44 1.26 Minas 109.02 1.26 PRODUCT US$/barrel (FOB S'pore) Close Change Naphtha 106.83 1.39 Jet Kerosene 126.63 1.94 US$/barrel OpecOil Basket Price 108.03
      68 words
    • Article
      Lock icon FOREIGN CURRENCY NOTE RATES
      118 25 Dec 28 Singapore dollars to one unit of foreign currency: Currencies Sell Buy Aust dollar 1.297 1.236 Can dollar 1.257 1.198 Euro 1.657 1.579 Sterling pound 2.007 1.930 NZ dollar 1.036 0.978 US dollar 1.247 1.188 Local dollars to 100 units of foreign currency: Currencies Sell
      118 words
    • Article
      Lock icon LONDON METALS
      69 25 Dec 27 Aluminium, 99.7% purity (US$/tonne) Close Previous Cash 2046.00 2039.75 3 months 2080.00 2075.00 Copper, Grade A (US$/tonne) Cash 7893.00 7787.50 3 months 7915.00 7810.00 Lead (US$/tonne) Cash 2318.50 2304.00 3 months 2336.00 2323.00 Nickel (US$/tonne) Cash *****.00 *****.50 3 months *****.00 *****.00 Tin (US$/tonne) Cash *****.00
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    • Article
      Lock icon MORGAN STANLEY CAPITAL INT'L INDICES
      373 25 In local curr In S$ In US$ dy yr dy yr dy yr Dec 27 Index Change Change Change Change Change Change World Preliminary 933.4 -0.3 12.5 -0.3 6.1 -0.3 12.6 EAFE Preliminary 777.2 0.2 13.9 0.1 7.4 0.2 14.0 Europe Preliminary 1155.8 0.1 12.6
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    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon STOCK MARKETS
      107 25 Straits Times Index YTD change: +20.61% 52-week high: 3,195.74 on Dec 27,2012 52-week low: 2,646.35 on Dec 30,2011 Source: Bloomberg Nikkei 225 YTD change: +22.94% 52-week high: 10,433.63 on Dec 27,2012 52-week low: 8,295.63 on June 4,2012 Source: Bloomberg Hang Seng Index YTD change: +22.96% 52-week high: 22,706.33
      Source: Bloomberg  -  107 words
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  • PERSPECTIVE
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon And over the cliff we go
      1055 26 / 27  -  Increase in tax rates, cuts in spending and Obamacare, to boot US officials face the tough task of making the right decisions. By J Bradford Delong By J Bradford Delong ~J Bradford DeLong, a former deputy assistant secretary of the US Treasury, is Professor
      Project Syndicate; PHOTO: AFP  -  1,055 words
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      Lock icon Collective response crucial to tackling climate crisis
      1048 26 / 27  -  By G Panicker ~The writer was formerly with BT’s foreign desk Y all accounts, a planetary climate crisis is closing in. Two decades of efforts have not curtailed emissions of greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol now extended for eight years has even fewer
      PHOTO: AP  -  1,048 words
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  • WEALTH INVESTING
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      Lock icon Gold bulls strongest since August, while hedge funds retreat
      1162 28 Bullion headed for a 12th consecutive annual gain, the longest run in at least nine decades Bloomberg London GOLD traders are the most bullish in four months as US lawmakers near a deadline for budget talks, at a time when hedge
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      Lock icon Here’s something to chew on for the new year ahead
      1202 29  -  What’s the right thing to do? Immanuel Kant may have the answer for us corporations and individuals to decide for ourselves SHOW ME THE MONEY Teh Hooi Ling hooiling@sph.com.sg Senior Correspondent Ursula k Le Guin, an American author of novels,
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  • WEALTH REAL ESTATE
    • Article
      Lock icon Househunt
      851 30 PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS FOR SELECTED DISTRICTS WITH CONTRACT DATES BETWEEN NOV 28 AND DEC 4, 2012 PROJECT NAME/ STREET NAME PROP TYPE CONTRACT DATE TENURE BUILT-IN/LAND AREA*(SQ FT) PRICE (S$'000) PSF (S$) District 1 NON-LANDED V On Shenton Apt 29/11/2012 99 1033 1938 1875 V On Shenton Apt 29/11/2012 99
      851 words
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      Lock icon November prices of built condos up 1.9%
      748 31  -  Jump propelled by 2.6% hike in Central Region (excluding small units) By Kalpana Rashiwala kalpana@sph.com.sg Singapore AFTER lagging for most of this year, prices of completed private apartments and condos in Singapore’s Central Region sprang to life in November, latest data from the
      Source: Institute of Real Estate Studies, NUS  -  748 words
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      Lock icon Strong start to CDL’s Echelon launch
      291 31  -  Buyers snap up 80% of 250 offered units By Zeinab Yusuf Saiwalla zeinabs@sph.com.sg Singapore THE launch of Echelon along Alexandra Road, the last one among residential developments for the year, appeared to have gone swimmingly yesterday. Before the end of its first-day preview, 80
      291 words
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      111 32 I > TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM. THE UNIQUE ASYMMETRIC STYLING OF THE AUDEMARS PIQUET MILLENARY COLLECTION HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY DESIGN ENGINEERS DEVELOP CALIBRES. THIS TRI-DIMENSIONAL MOVEMENT COMBINES PERFORMANCE AND CHRONOMETRY WITH HAUTE HOROLOGY MICRO-DETAILING. IN THE TRANSVERSAL BALANCE-BRIDGE, OPTIMUM SHOCKRESISTANCE IS COMBINED WITH THE
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      64 1 TRENDS THAT SHAPED 2012 And what's cooking next in 2013 L2-5 DINING Food trends of 2012 L2-5 LivingBTTHE BUSINESS TIMES WEEKEND DECEMBER 29 30 2012 DESIGN Looking good in the new year L6-7 PHOTO: SUSHI AIRWAYS HOME GARDEN On the waterfront L8-9 GOLF Tee-off year in review L17 MOTORING Fun
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  • DINING
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      Lock icon The year in food
      2127 2 / 3  -  From speciality joe to the best in fine dining, Debbie Yong compiles 10 trends that carved inroads in the local scene Debbie Yong 1BISTROS, BISTROS AND MORE BISTROS After 2011 ’s surge of new Italian eateries, Singaporeans dived straight into the French bistronomy movement in 2012,
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      Lock icon What to look out for in 2013
      1357 4 / 5  -  It’s hard to keep up with all the dizzying developments in cuisine but Debbie Yong makes it easy to swallow Debbie Yong debyong@sph.com.sg Stylish Asian food TANUKI raw bar at Orchard Central is giving Japanese food a contemporary twist by pairing them with
      PHOTO: COL  -  1,357 words
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      Lock icon Things we’d like to see less of in 2013
      345 4 / 5  -  DY Cupcakes Pretty to look at but pretty awful to eat. What are you supposed to do with all that icing? All-day breakfasts Because eggs poached in the morning and reheated as Eggs Benedict at mid-day is not our idea of
      345 words
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      892 4 / 5 wine&dine with BTWeekend Atrium Lounge Level 4, Marina Mandarin Singapore 6 Raffles BoulevardZ 6845 1111 Dec 31, 2012 Count down to the new year in Cabaret style with exciting programmes lined up just for you, such as DJ spins, as well as musical performances by The Duelling Pianos and the
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  • DESIGN
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      Lock icon Looking good in the new year
      1219 6 / 7  -  We look back on the highlights of 2012 and find out what will likely be on many homeowners’ must-have list in 2013. By Tay Suan Chiang By Tay Suan Chiang taysc@sph.com.sg SINGAPORE may be better known as a dining and shopping destination but this
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  • HOME & GARDEN
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      Lock icon On the waterfront
      850 8 / 9  -  Weekends for Eric Chan and his wife Fatoma Alladin are often spent at Sentosa Cove where they have an apartment and a sport cruiser boat. By Tay Suan Chiang personal space By Tay Suan Chiang taysc@sph.com.sg FOR some people, a quick getaway equals a trip overseas perhaps
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  • CEOS' HAWKER CHOICES 2012
    • Article, Illustration
      Lock icon Spicemeisters
      2409 10 / 11  -  Originally referring to food from the city of Padang on the Sumatran West Coast, Nasi Padang has grown into a catch-all phrase for Muslim stalls selling their version of Chinese economy rice in Singapore. There’s one on almost every corner, satiating diners of every race. Here are the top
      PHOTOS: YEN MENG JIIN; PHOTOS: DEBBIE YONG; PHOTO: HJH MAIMUNAH; PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER CHIEN  -  2,409 words
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      Lock icon Only authentic padang will do
      549 12  -  Suhaimi Rafdi CEO of Cathay Organisation By Tan Teck Heng btnews@sph.com.sg SUHAIMI Rafdi knows first-hand how unhealthy it is to eat out; after all, the CEO of Cathay Organisation (and a textbook example of a success story) once flipped burgers at various fast food joints.
      PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER CHIEN  -  549 words
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      54 10 / 11 IN YOUR CORNER AT EVERY CORNER Knight Frank Knight Frank’s Retail Team provides services encompassing retail consultancy planning, retail marketing and shopping centre management. Call Knight Frank Retail Team at 6222 1333 for the full suite of retail services. CORPORATE SERVICES > RESIDENTIAL > RETAIL > OFFICE > INDUSTRIAL >
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  • GADGETS
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      Lock icon To wait or not
      538 13  -  Touchscreen computers are all the rage these days, and Christopher Lim picks out 3 that are worth buying now Christopher Lim limchris@sph.com.sg AS the year draws to a close and this year’s touchscreen gadgets resign themselves to becoming last year’s models, some might ponder the wisdom
      538 words
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  • WELLNESS
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      Lock icon After the partying
      1057 14  -  Start the new year on a healthy note with sensible eating habits that are easy to keep. By Cheah Ui-Hoon uihoon@sph.com.sg FEELING bloated and sluggish now that you’ve had too many Christmas parties and gatherings? That’s a common problem after the festive season, says Christina Lim, a
      FILE PHOTOS  -  1,057 words
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      36 14 HOME Ni E S Moving? Let the experts sort it out for you. To find out more, turn to CLASS 115 a 239 in CATS Classified in The Straits Times now. ESAT3 BUY IT-SELL IT-FIND IT
      36 words
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  • HEALTH
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      Lock icon Understanding heart attacks
      1180 15  -  New studies show that one can get a heart attack without a blockage in the heart arteries. By Michael Lim By Michael Lim ~Dr Lim is medical director at the Singapore Heart, Stroke Cancer Centre. He is also editor-in-chief, Heart Asia (a journal of the British Medical
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  • SPORT
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      Lock icon A year to remember
      834 16  -  no holds barred Lee U-Wen leeuwen@sph.com.sg Correspondent SPORTS fans certainly got their money’s worth in 2012. From the London Olympics that many described as the best Games of all time, to the European football championships that gave everyone sleepless nights for an entire month, and not
      PHOTOS: AP, AFP, THE STRAITS TIMES  -  834 words
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  • GOLF
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      Lock icon Highlights and low points of 2012
      1134 17  -  Justine Moss looks back at the events of the year, from Bubba Watson’s miracle shot to the end of 7 years of Singapore Open title sponsorship by Barclays Justine Moss btnews@sph.com.sg AS ANOTHER year ends on the golfing calendar, it’s time to look back
      PHOTOS: AFP, AP  -  1,134 words
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  • MOTORING
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      Lock icon Six levels of luxury
      295 18  -  No expense was spared in rebuilding the Porsche City Centre, which boasts six-storeys and a basement carpark. By Samuel Ee By Samuel Ee samuelee@sph.com.sg THE Porsche City Centre at 29 Leng Kee Road has been rebuilt with careful and clever utilisation of space. The six-storey building
      PHOTOS: ARTHUR LEE, EUROKARS  -  295 words
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      Lock icon Audi’s new home
      355 19  -  Audi Centre Singapore is the tallest Audi facility in the world, and the first with a curved facade. By Samuel Ee By Samuel Ee samuelee@sph.com.sg THREE years and $70 million later, Audi moves into its flagship building here. The eight-storey Audi Centre Singapore at 281 Alexandra Road
      PHOTOS: ARTHUR LEE, AUDI  -  355 words
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      Lock icon Fun but frugal
      458 20  -  The BMW X6 M50d combines high power and sporty handling with everyday driveability. By Samuel Ee By Samuel Ee samuelee@sph.com.sg High-performance but not hardcore. This is the philosophy of the BMW M Performance range, which offers high power and sporty handling but with everyday driveability. One such
      458 words
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      Lock icon M’s petrol power
      323 20  -  By Samuel Ee samuelee@sph.com.sg VISUALLY, the BMW X6 M is similar to the BMW X6 M50d with its M bodykit and generally more aggressive styling. But instead of the M Performance model’s turbodiesel, the X6 M gets a 4.4-litre V8 turbocharged petrol engine. The petrol unit’s two
      323 words
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