Daily Debrief: What Happened Today

Economists maintain Singapore 2018 growth forecast at 3.2%; trade war threat remains THE services sector is set to become a stronger economic growth engine this year amid concerns that activity in manufacturing could taper, according to a new survey of private-sector economists.

Singapore retrenchments fall to 5-year low in Q1 as job vacancies rise THE labour market continued to show slight improvements in the first quarter of 2018, with retrenchment figures falling to a five-year low and the number of job openings on the rise.

Singapore's private and HDB rents both rise 0.2% in May as volumes drop RENTS in May inched up just 0.2 per cent for both private and HDB homes from the previous month, as volumes continued their decline, according to flash estimates released by real estate portal SRX Property on Wednesday.

Park House in Orchard fetches record S$2,910 psf ppr price in collective sale THE freehold District 10 development at 21 Orchard Boulevard sold for S$375.5 million, translating to S$2,910 psf ppr on the maximum allowable gross floor area of 129,035 sq ft, excluding the 10 per cent bonus for balconies.

Toyota to invest US$1b in Grab, taking lead in latest financing round TOYOTA Motor Corp will invest US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) in Singapore-based Grab, in the largest investment by an automotive manufacturer in the global ride-hailing sector.

Enterprise Singapore opens overseas centre in Kenya ENTERPRISE Singapore (ESG) opened a new overseas centre in Kenya on Wednesday, its third in Africa, to help Singapore companies enter East Africa and boost trade and investment between both markets.

The STI today

Singapore shares close 1.11% down THE cautious mood in the Singapore bourse prevailed with the key Straits Times Index closing 38.18 points or 1.11 per cent lower at 3,392.51 on Wednesday as traders shifted their focus to key central bank meetings ahead, chiefly in the US.