Daily Debrief: What Happened Today

Real total wages in Singapore up 5.4% in 2015: MOM

Real total wages in Singapore, including employer CPF contributions, went up by 5.4 per cent in 2015, higher than the 3.9 per cent a year ago.

Keppel Corp denies EIG allegations

Keppel Corporation on Thursday said that it denies all allegations raised in a lawsuit filed by US investment company, EIG Management.

GIC, Temasek buy combined US$1b in Alibaba stock from SoftBank sale

Singapore sovereign wealth funds bought US$1 billion of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding's shares as part of a US$8.9 billion sale by Japan's SoftBank Group, Alibaba's biggest shareholder, the company said on Wednesday.

Obama to host Lee Hsien Loong for state visit in August

US President Barack Obama will host Singapore's prime minister for talks on a stalled trans-Pacific trade pact, maritime tensions with China and a prestigious White House state dinner.

ANZ sues troubled flooring company Jason over S$1.69m owed

Jason Holdings on Thursday said ANZ has begun a lawsuit in the High Court against the directors of Jason Parquet Specialist (Singapore) Pte Ltd (JPSS) - its principal operating unit - over an approximate S$1.69 million that is owed to the bank. The directors are guarantors for the repayment of banking facilities granted by ANZ.

Potential buyer eyeing stake in Otto Marine

Otto Marine said that it received a letter from RHB Securities Singapore, the financial adviser to a potential buyer. On behalf of the offeror, RHB Securities said it intends to submit a formal proposal to Otto's board as soon as possible.

The STI Today

Singapore shares close higher with F&B stocks in play

The main distinguishing feature of Thursday's session was a play on food and beverage (F&B) stocks that pushed up Yeo Hiap Seng, Thai Beverage, Jumbo Group and Sino Grandness Food. Otherwise, turnover at 1.2 billion units worth S$731.4 million was 63 per cent lower than Tuesday's S$2 billion, although the latter was admittedly inflated by window-dressing of key blue chips (or "portfolio rebalancing").