Posts by Liam Redmond
HSBC’s US$13.6 billion buyout proposal wins Hang Seng Bank board committee’s nod
Debt-laden property developers in Hong Kong and their creditors are set to face intensifying financial pressure next year [BENGALURU] Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Bank said on Monday (Dec 15) that an independent board committee found HSBC’s US$13.6 billion take-private offer to be fair and reasonable, and recommended its minority investors vote in favour of the…
Read MorePerson of interest in Brown University shooting released as investigation ‘now points in different direction’
A 24-year-old man who authorities apprehended in connection with the Brown University mass shooting was released from custody, authorities announced during a surprise press conference late Sunday night. Benjamin Erickson was cuffed just before dawn on Sunday at a Hampton Inn hotel near Brown University — but now investigators are saying they had the wrong guy.…
Read MoreGoogle signs solar power pact in Malaysia with Shizen Energy
The agreement highlights efforts by global tech firms to decarbonise their energy-intensive operations such as data centres [TOKYO] Alphabet’s Google has signed a solar power agreement in Malaysia, as the tech giant looks to secure clean electricity for its operations globally. Google will buy power from a 30-megawatt solar farm developed by a consortium led…
Read MoreSMBC Asia inks debut US$3.2 billion SRT with Blackstone, Stonepeak
Globally, SRT volumes are projected to expand 11% annually over the next two years [SINGAPORE] Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s (SMBC) Asia-Pacific arm has completed its first US$3.2 billion synthetic risk transfer deal with Blackstone, Stonepeak Partners and Clifford Capital, according to a statement from the Japanese lender on Monday (Dec 15). The transaction, covering Australian…
Read MoreAustralia allowed Jewish hate to fester with cowardly appeasement and foolish immigration decisions
Australia’s Oct. 7 happened in the most unlikely place — a balmy summer’s evening in the most iconic beach in the country, known for laid-back surfers, Instagram influencers, fitness freaks, hippies, billionaires, leather-skinned locals and decidedly haram topless sunbathers. Bondi Beach is a bustling inner-suburban crescent of golden sand on the Pacific where $30 million…
Read MoreAsian markets drop with Wall Street as tech fears revive
Tech firms have been at the forefront of a global surge in equity markets for the past two years [HONG KONG] Asian markets dropped on Monday (Dec 15) as concerns about the AI-fuelled tech rally returned to the spotlight after weak earnings from two big-name firms last week revived questions about the wisdom of the…
Read MoreMajor win for ultra-conservative gives Chile its most right-wing president in decades
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile’s ultra-conservative former lawmaker José Antonio Kast secured a stunning victory in the presidential election Sunday, defeating the candidate of the center-left governing coalition and setting the stage for the country’s most right-wing government in 35 years of democracy. Kast won 58.2% of the votes as Chileans overwhelmingly embraced his pledge to crack down on increased crime, deport hundreds…
Read MoreGold rises on softer Treasury yields; silver steadies after record run
Investors are currently pricing in two rate cuts for next year, with this week’s non-farm payrolls report expected to provide further clues on the Fed’s policy path [BENGALURU] Gold rose on Monday (Dec 15), supported by softer US Treasury yields, while silver steadied after a record-setting spree last week. Spot gold rose 0.3 per cent…
Read MoreRinggit’s outperformance set to extend next year on AI boost
[SINGAPORE] The Malaysian ringgit is on course to beat its Asian peers for a second straight year, and some strategists are expecting the outperformance to extend into 2026. Malaysia’s deep linkages to the global tech supply chain, positive growth prospects and the government’s continued push on fiscal consolidation bode well for the ringgit, according to…
Read MoreMom says viral video shows her being booted from Georgia restaurant for breastfeeding her baby
A Florida mother says a man she believed to be the owner of a popular riverside restaurant in Georgia yelled at her and ordered her to leave after she breastfed her infant — an encounter she says she recorded on her cellphone that shows a man shouting, “Get on out of here!” The incident happened at Toccoa…
Read MoreJanuary Capital’s private credit fund marks final close at over US$130 million
The fund offers growth-stage, sponsor-backed tech firms in Apac less-dilutive financing through senior secured loans [SINGAPORE] Singapore-headquartered investment firm January Capital on Monday (Dec 15) announced the final close of its Growth Credit Fund, which was oversubscribed and secured total commitments of more than US$130 million. The Growth Credit Fund offers growth-stage, sponsor-backed technology firms…
Read MoreChina brings EV price war to Thailand, dangling 38% discounts
The steep discounts have fuelled a more than 20% surge in sales in both October and November [BANGKOK] Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, already struggling with bruising competition at home, have brought their aggressive discounting to Thailand as they look to win over budget-conscious buyers. The savings are eye-catching: BYD slashed as much as 38…
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