Yen stumbles on poor trade figures, easing hopes
The yen lost more ground in Asia on Wednesday, hitting a seven-month low against the dollar after Japan released another batch of weak trade data, which raised hopes for fresh…
Art as an investment
A Van Gogh or a Picasso is valuable, but is it a good investment? Certainly the art world is filled with stories of sharp-eyed collectors who snapped up pieces from…
There’s value in the mix
Indonesia and the Philippines are among the best-performing economies and markets in Asia this year. For investors who continue to be sanguine about the prospects of both and those seeking …
HSBC says in talks to sell Ping An stake but no deal yet
For HSBC, to sell or not to sell its valuable holdings in Ping An Insurance, China’s No 2 life insurer, is now apparently not a question. The more burning question…
Bankers count their blessings
Yes – it’s that time of the year again. No – not Christmas trees, carols, frenzied shopping sprees, boozy corporate parties and stuffed turkey dinners. For most investment bankers,…
Beijing revises dividend tax in bid to revive stock market
To encourage long-term investment in the beleaguered stock market, Beijing unveiled a new dividend tax regime yesterday after the benchmark edged closer to a psychologically significant lower level. The Ministry…
PICC goes to market with a jumbo deal
The Hong Kong initial public offering planned by People’s Insurance Company of China (PICC) could raise between US$ 3 billion and US$ 4 billion and become the biggest deal in…
Asian investors mull European recession, weak US retail sales
Asian stock markets outside Japan struggled to advance on Friday after data showed Europe tipping into recession territory while US retail sales disappointed investors. The European Union’s statistics agency confirmed…
