Business
HK-listed Chinese stocks hit 3-month high despite China, US tariffs
CHINESE stocks listed in Hong Kong surged on Tuesday (Feb 4) as investors loaded up on artificial intelligence and electric vehicle shares…
Swedan Margen
Swedan Margen contributes to L'Officiel Lifestyle with a focus on business and entrepreneurship.
Swedan covers business developments, emerging companies, entrepreneurial stories, and trends influencing industries and the broader economy.
The goal is to bring readers accessible coverage of business stories while highlighting developments, ideas, and opportunities shaping the marketplace.
Business · Entrepreneurship · Companies · Industry Trends · Innovation
Business
Tariffs could deal US$200 million blow to Guinness-owner Diageo in second half
GUINNESS-owner Diageo estimates its operating profit could be dented by roughly US$200 million if US tariffs on Mexico and Canada are…
Business
Temasek and CenterSquare launch US$100 million commercial real estate debt co-investment vehicle
The portfolio continues a strategy across the global real estate investment manager’s debt fund series TEMASEK and CenterSquare Investment…
Business
UBS trounces profit forecasts, US$3 billion share buyback conditional on capital rules
UBS Group on Tuesday (Feb 4) posted fourth-quarter profit that beat forecasts by a wide margin and said it would buy back up to US$3…
Business
Grab, GoTo accelerate merger talks and aim for deal in 2025
GRAB Holdings and GoTo Group have accelerated merger talks and target a deal this year, seeking to end years of losses in South-east…
Business
Grab weighs takeover of rival GoTo at US$7 billion valuation
GRAB Holdings and GoTo Group have accelerated merger talks and are targeting a deal this year, seeking to end years of losses in…
Politics
China may loosen grip on yuan as Trump reignites trade war
CURRENCY traders are waiting with bated breath for China’s next daily reference rate for the yuan, with some expecting authorities to…
Business
Chinese tea drinks firm Guming aims to raise US$202 million in Hong Kong IPO
CHINESE bubble tea drinks company Guming Holdings is aiming to raise up to US$202 million in a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO),…
Business
BNP expands Australia presence by hiring banker for leverage finance market
BNP Paribas has hired a senior leveraged finance banker in Sydney as the French bank expands its presence in one of Asia Pacific’s busiest…
Business
Dutch lender ING looking for acquisitions to grow in Germany, Italy and Spain, says CEO
DUTCH lender ING Group is looking for opportunities to buy rival banks in major European countries to boost its size, its chief executive…
News
Salesforce cutting 1,000 roles while hiring salespeople for AI
SALESFORCE is cutting jobs as its latest fiscal year gets underway, according to a person familiar with the matter, even as the company…
Business
NXP gives disappointing sales forecast as chip slump persists
NXP and its peers have been struggling with a stubborn glut of chips that help power electric cars and manufacturing operations NXP…
Business
Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit posts 8.8% fall in distributable income to US$23.8 million for H2
THE manager of Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit (Kore) on Tuesday (Feb 4) posted an 8.8 per cent fall in distributable income to US$23.8 million…
Business
Keppel Infrastructure Trust posts 54.2% lower H2 DPU of S$0.0195
Excluding special distributions in the prior year, DPU for the current period rose 1% KEPPEL Infrastructure Trust (KIT) on Tuesday (Feb 4)…
Business
Japan’s biggest lender MUFG posts 32% jump in Q3 profit
Japan’s largest lender Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group on Tuesday (Feb 4) reported a 32 per cent increase in quarterly net profit. Profit…
Business
Clorox raises guidance after quarterly sales top estimates
CLOROX raised sales and earnings guidance for the current year while also reporting better-than-expected quarterly results, showing that…
Business
Five key themes shaping Singapore’s economic outlook in 2025
SINGAPORE’S economy is poised to remain dynamic in 2025, navigating through challenges such as geopolitical tensions and economic…
Politics
Who is Akash Bobba? The 22-year-old Tech Profdigy at the Center of the Controversy Surrounding Elon Musk's DOGE
Akash Bobba, a 22-year-old engineer of Indian origin, has found himself at the center of a firestorm of controversy after being hired by…
News
The Real Cost of Starting a Business in 2025
Starting a business in 2025 might sound exciting, but let’s face it, it can be a real wallet-drainer. You’ve got your obvious costs, like…
Politics
Elon Musk Takes on Role as 'Special Government Employee' for Trump Administration, Working Without Pay
In a surprising move, Elon Musk, the world's richest man and CEO of Tesla, is now serving as a "special government employee" under US…
Politics
Trump and Mexican President Agree to Pause Tariffs for One Month as Negotiation Talks Continue With Canada's Trudeau
President Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday a one-month pause of the planned 25% blanket tariff by the…
Business
Ontario Strikes Back: Bans U.S. Firms from Billion-Dollar Contracts Over Trade Tensions, Dumps Elon Musk's Starlink Deal
Ontario, Canada's most populous province and economic powerhouse, has decided to ban U.S. companies from bidding on government contracts…
News
A Mother and Daughter’s Joint Becoming
In the course of the project, as Barbara grew older, Wywrot’s photographs became more collaborative, and more humorous, with mother and…
Politics
Opec+ rolls over oil policy, ditches US government data
OPEC+ agreed to stick to its policy of gradually raising oil output from April on Monday (Feb 3) and removed the US government’s Energy…