Posts by Nathan Pine
Bank of England keeps rates steady, sees further loosening as jobs market weakens
[LONDON] The Bank of England held interest rates at 4.25 per cent as expected on Thursday (Jun 19) but said it was focused on risks from a weaker labour market and higher energy prices as conflict in the Middle East escalates. Noting the elevated global uncertainty and persistent inflation, the Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3…
Read MoreAmazon’s Early Prime Day Fashion Deals: The Birkenstock Dupe Everyone Wants, Plus It-Girl Denim 52% Off
Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. Did you hear the good news? Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner! In just a few weeks you’ll be able to shop insane deals (like Black Friday insane) on all of…
Read MoreJapan to cut super-long bond sales by 10% to calm markets
[TOKYO] Japan’s government plans to cut sales of super-long bonds by about 10 per cent from its original plan in a rare revision to its bond programme for the current fiscal year, trimming overall bond issuance as a result, a draft document seen by Reuters showed. The move aims to soothe market oversupply concerns, after…
Read MorePrudential, AIA still offering pre-authorisation at Mount Elizabeth hospitals despite Great Eastern’s shock move
[SINGAPORE] Insurers in Singapore are not following Great Eastern’s footsteps to suspend pre-authorisation certificates for admission into Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. Prudential and AIA told The Business Times that they are still issuing pre-authorisation certificates for any healthcare institutions. In a surprise move on Tuesday (Jun 17), Great Eastern announced the…
Read MoreLet Your Reflection Show You These Secrets About Mulan
4. Tia Carrere was initially considered to voice the title character. Then Lea Salonga, who provided the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, was cast to provide both Mulan’s speaking and singing voices. 5. While Salonga still performed Mulan’s songs, Ming-Na Wen was later brought in to speak the role after filmmakers didn’t find Salonga’s attempts to deepen…
Read MoreSouth-east Asia’s budget airlines bet on travel demand, despite competition woes
[SEOUL] South-east Asia’s biggest budget airlines are pursuing a bruising capacity expansion race despite rising cost pressures that are squeezing profitability and led Qantas Airways to shut down Singapore-based offshoot Jetstar Asia. Low-cost carriers have proliferated in Asia in the past two decades as disposable incomes rise, supported by robust travel demand from Chinese tourists. …
Read MoreUber warns Hong Kong drivers and riders of possible new curbs
[HONG KONG] Uber Technologies is e-mailing Hong Kong users to raise concerns about rules the city is formulating, warning the government could cap the number of drivers or vehicles allowed on the platform. The San Francisco-based company said any such limit would reduce opportunities for drivers to earn money and could lead to more cancellations…
Read MoreGlobally diversified equities remain attractive amid yet another Fed pause: analysts
[SINGAPORE] Analysts continue to favour globally diversified equities, as the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday (Jun 18). In its latest meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) agreed to leave the central bank’s benchmark interest rate unchanged in the 4.25 to 4.5 per cent range, citing a healthy labour market and…
Read MoreAsia: Stocks drop after Fed warning, oil dips with Middle East in focus
[HONG KONG] Asian stocks fell on Thursday after the Federal Reserve warned Donald Trump’s trade war would likely reignite US inflation and dampen economic growth, while oil prices edged down as investors awaited developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. While geopolitical tensions are the key focus for markets, traders were also watching the US central bank’s…
Read MoreCoinbase launches stablecoin payments service for e-commerce
[NEW YORK] Coinbase Global is launching a platform designed to make stablecoins a go-to payment method for online transactions, a potentially big leap forward in the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies meant to track the US dollar. The announcement follows the passage of landmark stablecoin legislation in the US Senate on Tuesday (Jun 17) and comes…
Read MoreAlibaba Cloud to start second data centre in South Korea by June
The company operates 87 availability zones across 29 global regions and is China’s largest cloud provider Published Thu, Jun 19, 2025 · 10:47 AM [SEOUL] Alibaba Group Holding will open a second data centre in South Korea by the end of June, accelerating its multibillion-dollar bet on artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing. The new…
Read MoreAustralia: Shares hit 2-week low as miners, gold stocks fall; Fed holds rate
Published Thu, Jun 19, 2025 · 10:09 AM AUSTRALIAN shares hit a two-week low in early trade on Thursday, weighed down by miners and gold stocks as the US Federal Reserve’s cautious tone on rate cuts and softer commodity prices dampened investor sentiment. The S&P/ASX 200 index was down 0.2 per cent at 8516.2 by…
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