BT Explains

Indonesia’s ‘state-loss trap’ and why SOE giants may be too scared to sell

The Grab-GoTo merger has reportedly hit an impasse as government-backed Telkomsel resists a sale that could expose it to tough legal consequences

The US Justice Department’s criminal probe into Fed chair Jerome Powell over a building renovation project has cast uncertainty over inflation and monetary policy.
BT EXPLAINS

What’s next for home loan rates? Where interest rates are headed with Fed independence in question

Recent events surrounding the US central bank have clouded the outlook for further cuts in 2026

Under an SRT, a bank transfers a defined portion of the credit risk from a pool of loans to external investors.
BT EXPLAINS

What are significant risk transfers – and why is DBS reportedly considering them?

Analysts say that other banks in Asia, including OCBC and UOB, could eventually explore similar deals

Riders are optional add-ons to an Integrated Shield Plan. They are meant to reduce one's out-of-pocket costs when making a hospital claim.
BT EXPLAINS

New IP rider rules: What stays, what goes, and how it affects you

MOH hopes removing riders that fully cover the deductible will maintain ‘cost discipline’ and reduce unnecessary admissions, tests and overnight stays

Twelve Cupcakes' 80 staff lost their jobs overnight when the bakery chain closed suddenly.
BT EXPLAINS

F&B closures: retrenched, unpaid staff may be ahead of most creditors – but will they ever see their salaries?

If there is enough to go round, the next question is when they will be paid

A stablecoin is a form of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value relative to a certain asset.
BT EXPLAINS

What is a Singapore dollar-backed stablecoin, and how does it work?

Coinbase users can trade XSGD, the only Singapore dollar-backed stablecoin, from Wednesday

Objectionable terms in Agoda's severance agreement raise questions over the legality of retrenchment benefits.
BT EXPLAINS

Agoda’s bid to silence axed staff sets social media on fire – but what does the law say? 

[SINGAPORE] The topic of retrenchments invariably sparks debate, but the Sep 17 announcement of online travel agency Agoda’s layoff exercise triggered the ire of unions and manpower authorities for im...

Olivia Lum and four independent directors are on trial for non-disclosure of material information relating to the Tuaspring project.
BT EXPLAINS

Olivia Lum trial: What counts as non-disclosure?

Prosecutors in this case contend that Hyflux’s entry into a new, high-risk business area to subsidise a core business would have shaped investment calls

New Silk Road was one of the first hedge funds in Singapore to invest long-short equities across Asia. It was among the early foreign investors in China, through an on‑the‑ground Shanghai team.
BT EXPLAINS

New Silk Road ends its 16-year journey: BT looks at the challenges Singapore hedge funds face

What is a hedge fund, and what are some top hedge funds in Singapore?

The Federal Reserve building in Washington, US (above), on Jan 26, 2022.
BT EXPLAINS

Central banks are ditching the greenback: What’s in favour instead?

[SINGAPORE] Central banks hold a variety of assets, each serving a specific purpose tied to their mandate of maintaining monetary and financial stability.