THE only chronobiology facility in South-east Asia and the largest early-phase clinical research unit in Singapore was officially launched yesterday by Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
CHINA'S huge market and talent pool will make its cities fertile ground for innovations in sustainable living, Singapore's National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said at the Urban Planning Forum held in Shanghai yesterday.
MALAYSIA is keen to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a regional trade pact, but it needs the nod from the eight-member countries to do so, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
"It is up to the member countries to decide (on Malaysia's entry)," he said at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The eight countries are Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. They have held two meetings so far.
Malaysia's Cabinet had given the mandate to join the regional group two weeks ago.
"In the area of government procurement, we have said that we are prepared to discuss it further. Of course, there will be
Apple’s (AAPL) new iPhone 4 went on sale in Singapore Friday, and its debut in this city state may have been more over-the-top than its U.S. debut last month.
Singapore Telecommunications, known as SingTel, Southeast Asia’s biggest phone company by revenue, held its midnight launch party at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Center. The venue, with its almost concert-like atmosphere, was blasting with loud music, colored lights, fog and even a VIP lounge, where waitresses served hors d’oeuvres such as sea scallops with green olive tapenade.
At the stroke of midnight, SingTel revealed a giant rotating model of the iPhone on stage, along with a flashy pyrotechnics
CRESCENDO Corp Bhd (6718), a property developer based in Johor, plans to launch RM230 million of industrial properties over the next 18 months as improved economy and growing ties with Singapore help boost demand for its industrial properties.
The company is also optimistic on its growth prospects over the next few years.
"We believe this year will be better than last year," said managing director Gooi Seong Lim after Crescendo's annual general meeting in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, yesterday.
The company, whose net profit grew for two consecutive years previously, saw its net profit declining 43 per cent for the year ended January 31 2010.
Its industrial properties, under the Nusa Cemerlang Industrial Park (NCIP) project, were launched about two years ago. To date, it has launched 157 units of industrial properties with a gross development value of RM460 million.
"So far, the response for our properties has been overwhelming. We have sold all the industrial properties that we built," Gooi said.
The NCIP is still at the early stages of development.
"So far, less than 100 acres of the 520 acres have been developed. We are still at Phase 1 of the development. I'm not sure when the NCIP will be fully developed as it is based on demand. But our past experience tells us it will likely take about 10 years for it to be fully developed," he said.
The company is also planning to launch its Bandar Cemerlang township by the end of next year.
Gooi said the decision to launch Bandar Cemerlang, a 1,390-acre mixed-development township, was mainly driven by two factors.
One is the availability of key infrastructure such as an interchange that connects the township as well as the expansion of a highway there from two lanes to four. They are expected to be ready in the second half of 2011.
The other factor relates to the supply issue, which Crescendo expects to taper off sometimes next year.
Gooi said the company will remain focused on developing properties in Johor in the near term.
"We have a landbank of more than 3,000 acres that should keep us busy for sometime," he said.
SINGAPORE: French retailer Casino has hired Deutsche Bank and RBS to advise it on a potential bid for Carrefour's Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand assets, two sources said.
Carrefour has put up its Southeast Asian assets for sale at a potential price of US$1 billion (RM3.19 billion), according to sources with knowledge of the deal. It wants to sell its units in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and focus on core markets where it holds leading positions.
Casino "is serious about" bidding for the Carrefour business, said one of the sources with knowledge of the deal.
The sources asked not to be named because the deal is not public.
Casino Group, Deutsche and
RINGGIT
THE ringgit ended higher against the US dollar yesterday as investors took the cue from firmer equity markets, dealers said.
At 5pm, the ringgit was quoted at 3.1790/1830 to a US dollar compared with Thursday's close of 3.1820/1870.
However, a dealer said investors were taking a cautious stance as they were still unclear of the global economic growth fundamentals.
The ringgit declined against the Singaporedollar to 2.3358/3408 from 2.3330/3387 on Thursday and eased against the yen to 3.6832/6896 from 3.6521/6572 previously.
It, however, appreciated against the British pound to 4.9666/9741 from 4.9770/9867 on Thursday and advanced against the Euro to 4.1476/1538 from 4.1579/1648.
INTERBANK RATES
SHORT-TERM rates closed steady yesterday with Bank NegaraMalaysia mopping up excess liquidity from the system. The liquidity surplus was reduced to RM11.56 billion under conventional operations.....
SINGAPORE : SingTel's shareholders have given their overwhelming support to a proposal by the telco to set aside S$2.45 million for directors' fees, up S$200,000 from the previous year.
SINGAPORE: The introduction of metals futures on the Singapore Exchange is set to boost interest in metals trading in Asia and it will also likely position Singapore further as a commodities trading hub.
International Enterprise Singapore (IESingapore) has actively facilitated investment by Singapore companies in Viet Nam since 1993, as well as conducted urban development training for Vietnamese officials.
SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines said Friday it is to introduce an electronic version of its inflight magazines as part of its plans for paperless planes.
SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) has divested its 50 per cent stake in Service Quality Centre (SQC) to product testing, inspection and certification services provider TUV SUD PSB.
: 
All Rights Reserved. 
