Daily Debrief: What Happened Today

Singapore companies less prompt in paying bills in Q1

Singapore companies were more tardy about paying bills in the first quarter of 2016, the first deterioration of payment performance after three quarters of improvement, the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau said on Monday.

Trustees seek bids for 25,741-sq-ft Cuscaden Road redevelopment site

The trustees of an estate that holds a 25,741-square-foot freehold site on the ultra-prime Cuscaden Road are putting the property up for sale by tender.

Singapore's aunties and uncles take risks in hunt for yield

Singapore's aunties and uncles piled into a S$200 million retail bond last week from Aspial Corporation, drawn to a juicy 5.3 per cent yield despite the unusually high leverage of the jewellery-to-property group.

About 8 in 10 give Singapore public transport system the thumbs up

About eight in 10 residents in Singapore give the city-state's transport system the thumbs up, according to a recent poll commissioned by REACH.

Optus plans up to 480 job cuts as it revamps consumer division

Optus, Australia's second-biggest mobile- phone carrier, plans to cut as many as 480 jobs as it revamps its consumer and enterprise divisions and seeks sustainable growth.

Hot stock: Rickmers Maritime soars more than 30%, prompting SGX query

Shares of Rickmers Maritime soared more than 30 per cent in heavy trade on Monday morning, prompting Singapore Exchange (SGX) to query the trust on its "unusual" trading activity.

The STI Today

Singapore shares close higher in low volume

With Hong Kong and China closed for a public holiday, volume here dwindled to its lowest in two weeks at 1.4 billion units worth S$743 million on Monday. The Straits Times Index, which dropped 54 points on Thursday and Friday, managed a 16.86-point rebound to 2,835.35, led mainly by Singtel and two banks. Excluding warrants, the advance-decline score was 200 to 182.