THE LEVEL GROUND

Meet rental demand by letting developers keep ownership of some condo units without hefty penalties

With the ABSD regime curbing investment demand, fewer private homes may be available for lease in future 

A neighbourhood destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon's Tyre district. Key threats to the US-Iran deal include the non-trivial possibility that Israel may derail it.

Why the fragile US-Iran MOU won’t restart the rate-cut cycle

The interim agreement carries more risk than buoyant financial markets are generally pricing in

Some global consumer brands have exited, yet other international brands such as Chick-fil-A have entered or are expanding in Singapore.

The Asian playbook for global brands no longer works

Consumer behaviour across the region has diverged

Even as the world plans for an unreliable US in everything from defence to trade, it now has to cope with a new way of being captive to the world’s biggest economy.
THE BROAD VIEW

AI has granted America vast new power

Its government is now the gatekeeper to frontier models – and most compute

Coal has been one of the fastest growing fuels for South-east Asia’s rising energy needs over the past decade.
ESG INSIGHTS

Issue 199: S-E Asia’s exposed energy mix; CSE Global’s boardroom drama

This week in ESG: Region’s energy import bill could more than double by 2050, International Energy Agency says; CSE Global lead independent director resigns after dispute with chair

French President Emmanuel Macron says that Europe knows what it has to do to remain competitive in an increasingly cut-throat global economy.
THE BROAD VIEW

Europe cannot afford another lost year

The continent must tackle competition from China, American protectionism and geopolitical threats

Chengdu’s success at revitalising its retail spaces is worth studying. Start with people, create reasons to gather, allow concepts to be tested and let the place evolve.

What Singapore can learn from Chengdu about revitalising retail

Mall operators should prioritise experiences over monetisation

The bigger factor driving positive atmospherics at the summit was the announcement of the US-Iran MOU, and US President Donald Trump’s (centre) signing of the document. 

G7 summit opens door to Asia-Pacific and businesses

Staying relevant in a changing world means incorporating more voices

Even though weekdays may appear quiet, with only a handful of customers in the shops, crowds throng Orchard Road on Saturdays and Sundays.
THINKING ALOUD

The future of Orchard Road rests on having a cohesive vision

Singapore’s famed shopping belt is losing ground to its regional rivals