The Business Times

Possible overpayments, irregularities flagged in latest Auditor-General report It notes that EDB and MPA had lapses in contract management and procurement, while PUB had anomalies in records.

Companies thinking of arbitraging US tariffs should ‘be careful’ of the risk of stiff penalties: DPM Gan Rather than ‘wait and see’, companies should ‘wait and do’ by upgrading and upskilling ahead of time, he adds.

From banks to tech: ANZ latest to cut jobs in 2025 ANZ's revamp will mean around 8% of the firm’s roughly 42,000 staff will leave. ANZ plans to cut 3,500 staff over next year on CEO revamp:

Thai court orders Thaksin Shinawatra must serve one year in jail It's another major blow for a powerful family that has dominated politics for two decades.

Hiring sentiment cools in Singapore; only 37% plan to hire in Q4: ManpowerGroup survey Fewer companies also expect to make cuts - 17% anticipate a decrease in their staffing levels, marginally lower than the 19% in the p…

Aoxin Q&M’s ex-CEO accused of taking 15 million yuan via improper loans, sham share deals The audit committee has ‘reasonable evidence’ that four whistleblower reports received by the board are credible.

Start your day with BT ☕️: Stocks to watch: Oxley Holdings, Thakral Corp, Aoxin Q&M Dental, mm2 Asia Top Stories: 1. Singapore: Hiring sentiment cools in Singapore; only 37% plan to hire in Q4 2. Companies: Aoxin Q&M’s e…

Asean majors’ growth may disappoint as knock-on tariff effects, political chaos muddy waters Thailand downgrades hard; growth star Philippines dims; Indonesia treads water as Vietnam, Singapore roar on with strong H1 dat…

Indonesia shocks markets with removal of prominent finance minister Sri Mulyani In a surprise Cabinet reshuffle by President Prabowo, she will be replaced by Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, chairman of the Indonesia Deposit Insura…

Cosco Shipping Holdings and Orient Overseas (International) could be hit by over US$2.1 billion in US port fees: HSBC This could erode 74% and 65% of consensus Ebit margin forecast for FY2026 for Cosco Shipping Holdings…

Singapore worker dormitory rents up 81.5% since 2019 as demand and costs grow: report Year on year, rents rose 8.9 per cent in H1 2025 to an average of S$490 per bed per month.

#BTOpinion: Charging S$8,900 or more a month for assisted living at Parry Avenue not a deal breaker Mind the competition from the region and preference to age in one’s own home.

From one-man show to SGX: Skylink on track for listing via reverse takeover The company will also be the second vehicle company to be listed on SGX in 2025.

#BTOpinion: What would a CapitaLand-Mapletree merger mean for S-Reits in their respective stables? Neither CapitaLand nor Mapletree have hinted at a possible merger, but Temasek’s organisational revamp suggests it will t…

Opec+ casts shadow on Singapore’s glitzy oil bash as surplus looms Group agrees in principle to raise output again next month, according to delegates, with key members saying they expect to approve adding about 137,000 b…

CapitaLand Commercial C-Reit sets Shanghai IPO offering at 2.28 billion yuan, 7% up from earlier estimate CapitaLand China Trust will own 5% of the units in CLCR.

SGX-listed plantation firms ride output gains, lure with dividends While analysts expect the strong streak to continue, downside risks to crude palm oil prices in H2 remain.

Start your day with BT ☕️: Stocks to watch: Keppel, CapitaLand Investment, CapitaLand Ascendas Reit, mm2 Asia Top Stories: 1. Companies: SGX-listed plantation firms ride output gains, lure with dividends 2. International…

Leasehold properties have a definite shelf life; owners should not expect ‘more goodies’: Ho Ching Ho said that owners of flats with only 10 to 15 years left on their leases often have little incentive to maintain them.…

MetaOptics looks to SGX Catalist debut for path to profitability CEO Mark Thng says the listing will give the home-grown startup greater leverage in fundraising.

Japan PM Ishiba resigns to stave off split in ruling LDP The party blames him for three straight electoral drubbings since he took office on Oct 1, 2024.

Citi expects global digital asset trades to hit US$2 trillion a day; DBS sees volume surge in H1 A white paper by Citi says Gen AI is a good starting point for clients in trade settlement.

With more than 800 km of range, the new BMW iX3 is set to go far The first Neue Klasse model debuts on Sep 9, as BMW faces rising EV rivals, trade turbulence and the pressure to reinvent itself.

#BTLifestyle: Shui Tit Sing: Unsung hero of Singapore art gets his moment A new exhibition reclaims the legacy of the artist, teacher and mentor.

Asia-Pacific hotel deal value falls 23% to US$4.7 billion in H1 2025: JLL In Singapore, investors have been attracted to boutique hotels. Duxton Reserve was sold in May 2025 for S$80 million to a family office focused on…

Why you should be glad if your next boss is a young striver Gen Z workers are more than twice as likely to want to be chief executive as Gen X-ers in their 40s and 50s, said consulting firm McKinsey.

Instagram-style Xiaohongshu hits US$31 billion in valuation It garnered traction among investors following the Chinese government’s pledge to support private firms, reviving confidence in the country’s startup scene.

Asean consumers more optimistic about macroeconomic environment, with those in Vietnam most upbeat: study UOB finds financial preparedness among young people ‘visibly lacking’, with 7% of Gen Zs in the region feeling com…

Beyond price: How South-east Asian fashion can win on trust and transparency Intensified competition and green regulation mean brands must engage consumers in new ways.