#btopinion

#BTOpinion: Despite SIA’s multiple strengths, shareholders need to brace for turbulence Much can go wrong, given the global nature of the group’s business and the many staff, suppliers and customers with which it deals.

#BTOpinion: Can Apple catch up with rivals in the AI race? While Google and Microsoft forge ahead with innovations in generative AI, the iPhone maker risks being left behind.

#BTOpinion: Tough stance on board renewal has helped to spur recruitment of more women directors Of the record 71 first-time directors appointed last year, there was one woman director for every two male directors.

#BTOpinion: Make ABSD less punitive for younger local singles and PR couples trading owner-occupied homes While married locals enjoy various advantages over singles in the housing market, helping singles matters as singl…

#BTOpinion: Creating an AI-ready workforce for Singapore and beyond A new report by Google and Access Partnerships shows that Singapore businesses could gain S$193.3 billion in economic benefits in terms of cost savings,…

#BTOpinion: Shareholders should question the rationale for share buybacks However, famed US investor Warren Buffett – obviously one of the “wealthy investors” – said in his 2023 letter to shareholders that anyone who cri…

#BTOpinion: Beyond Shell’s refinery sale, Singapore’s oil industry faces more existential questions The Republic’s sustainability journey implies not just the exit of oil majors, but a wholesale shift away from a key ind…

#BTOpinion: Don’t count on being able to extend the land lease on a private home Getting owners to agree on lease extension duration and amounts payable will be tough.

#BTOpinion: Lendlease Reit could divest Jem office tower but still ride Jurong growth story with mall But with its portfolio mainly comprising just three properties, the Reit manager would have to carefully consider the…

#BTOpinion: Suburban malls need to watch out for ageing population, lure of shopping across the Causeway Suburban mall owners, operators and would-be investors should be mindful of chinks in the armour of what has been a…

#BTOpinion: Is it riskier for single or zero-income couples to buy HDB flats? HDB should give clarity on how financially stable it expects couples to be before they apply for homes.

#BTOpinion: Vibrancy of Singapore Exchange should be everyone’s concern Healthy stock markets create wealth that, if poured back into the capital markets, will keep the virtuous circle going.

#BTOpinion: As the Japan stock market hits new peaks, is it too late for investors to catch the rising sun? With the tide turning in Japan’s favour, there could still be much to gain for investors this year.

#BTOpinion: HDB flats: Give those ‘forced’ to buy resale units the chance to buy BTO flats Let singles buy larger BTO flats and high-income couples buy BTO units with safeguards.

#BTOpinion: OCBC’s offer for Great Eastern is about responding to minority dissent, doubling down on its strategy A deal may bring early end to the public conversation about how the two entities could be better run for m…

#BTOpinion: Tiger Balm maker Haw Par should show its stripes, hunt for growth in alternative segments If Haw Par goes on the hunt for acquisitions to boost its growth, perhaps investors would be more willing to bite into…

#BTOpinion: It is time to put idle cash back into the market Instead of transferring your funds from bank to bank to seek out higher interest rates, it’s probably time to put your money back into the market.

#BTOpinion: Interests of OCBC and Great Eastern’s minority shareholders are fundamentally misaligned The insurer should address the matter of its top executives receiving a significant proportion of their remuneration in…

#BTOpinion: Without a game changer, Sentosa Cove condos will continue underperforming Should a primary school be located in Sentosa?

#BTOpinion: ‘Competition for talent’ a poor excuse to keep key executives’ pay under wraps In choosing not to be transparent about the remuneration of their key management because of “competition for talent”, questions –…

#BTOpinion: Time to study broadening of private market access One reason the rich can continue to grow their wealth is that they have the necessary disposable income to continue investing in both up and down markets.

#BTOpinion: Too many property agents? Cap commissions on home sales Agencies should do fine with commission rates capped at 1.5%.

#BTOpinion: Is DBS Singapore’s indispensable stock? Maybe one should overcome the psychological barrier of taking a concentrated position. After having done due diligence, one ought to boldly invest in one or two stocks…

#BTOpinion: Smaller down payment for BTO flats should not be the motivation for students to buy If you are just thinking about buying a house after this lowering of down payment for BTO flats was announced, you might not…

#BTOpinion: SingPost’s bid to raise market value might not yield immediate results SingPost’s efforts to enhance shareholder value and better its operations are laudable. But investors may prefer to wait and see the frui…

#BTOpinion: Uptick in commodity prices bears close watch Some “soft” commodity prices such as cocoa and palm oil are also surging while others (including coffee, cotton and sugar) have risen from a year ago.

#BTOpinion: What makes Musk tick? It’s time to care The need to examine his behaviour – which grows more pugnacious with time – will only become more pressing as he actively shapes mankind’s technological future.

#BTOpinion: ‘Buy now, pay later’ is not dead BNPL players are faltering, throwing the relevance of the service into question. Yet, a select few operators of large marketplaces could find value in ramping up the offering…

#BTOpinion: The post-Covid run in hospitality Reits may look tired but don’t discount it getting a second wind With the draw of more mega events to come – as well as, perhaps, the long-awaited return of China tourists –…

#BTOpinion: When a meme platform becomes about me, me, me One is hard-pressed to think of any other company that has so thoroughly conflated product (the users’ data), unpaid labour (the users’ moderation efforts), and a…