columns https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/ THE BUSINESS TIMES - Find latest business and financial news including analysis and opinion on top business stories, stock markets in Singapore, Asia-Pacific and global market news and more at The Business Times. en-US https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/favicon.ico columns https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/ 32 32 Europe needs the digital euro https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/europe-needs-digital-euro Thu, 14 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/europe-needs-digital-euro The EU’s current push for strategic autonomy means little if it does not extend to payment systems Why Singapore companies need to manage AI-mediated reputation https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/why-singapore-companies-need-manage-ai-mediated-reputation Wed, 13 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/why-singapore-companies-need-manage-ai-mediated-reputation It should sit alongside enterprise risk, investor confidence and stakeholder engagement as a board-level concern Scarcity has shifted, not disappeared: The premise of AI abundance needs sharper evidence https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/scarcity-has-shifted-not-disappeared-premise-ai-abundance-needs-sharper-evidence Wed, 13 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/scarcity-has-shifted-not-disappeared-premise-ai-abundance-needs-sharper-evidence Singapore needs tractable policy questions about AI, not grand narratives about a post-scarcity future Why underemployment deserves attention, even if it is voluntary https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/why-underemployment-deserves-attention-even-if-it-voluntary Wed, 13 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/why-underemployment-deserves-attention-even-if-it-voluntary Being underemployed by choice still carries consequences, including skills atrophy Shedding the iconic ‘Cycle & Carriage’ will be a loss – but perhaps a necessary one for Jardine https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/shedding-iconic-cycle-carriage-will-be-loss-perhaps-necessary-one-jardine Wed, 13 May 2026 12:11:23 +0000 Jude Chan Opinion & Features Columns Companies & Markets /opinion-features/shedding-iconic-cycle-carriage-will-be-loss-perhaps-necessary-one-jardine Its famous Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Singapore and Malaysia account for only 4 to 5% of the company’s total earnings Tokyo on a tightrope: Japan’s impossible choices in the Iran war https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/tokyo-tightrope-japans-impossible-choices-iran-war Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/tokyo-tightrope-japans-impossible-choices-iran-war Ambiguity is not a posture one can hold indefinitely Chipmaker Cerebras joins OpenAI’s inner circle – for a price https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/chipmaker-cerebras-joins-openais-inner-circle-price Wed, 13 May 2026 09:20:33 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/chipmaker-cerebras-joins-openais-inner-circle-price Launching into the magic of the Altman-osphere could prove to be quite a windfall Growth and stability in the storm: steering Asean economies together https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/growth-and-stability-storm-steering-asean-economies-together Tue, 12 May 2026 23:15:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/growth-and-stability-storm-steering-asean-economies-together South-east Asia is shifting from the politics of expansion to questions of allocation Don’t expect any Gulf oil breakthroughs from Trump-Xi meeting https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/dont-expect-any-gulf-oil-breakthroughs-trump-xi-meeting Tue, 12 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/dont-expect-any-gulf-oil-breakthroughs-trump-xi-meeting Strait of Hormuz will certainly be on the summit agenda, but China is not facing energy desperation as some argue From Hormuz to home-grown power: Why the Middle East crisis strengthens the case for investing in Asia renewables https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/hormuz-home-grown-power-why-middle-east-crisis-strengthens-case-investing-asia-renewables Tue, 12 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/hormuz-home-grown-power-why-middle-east-crisis-strengthens-case-investing-asia-renewables Forward-looking investors are backing companies that can orchestrate the entire energy system Grab should consider a Singapore dual listing on SGX https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/columns/grab-should-consider-singapore-dual-listing-sgx Tue, 12 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Benjamin Cher Columns Opinion & Features /opinion-features/columns/grab-should-consider-singapore-dual-listing-sgx Beyond an uplift to investor recognition, the company could also benefit from EQDP funds Brics+ wall has growing Middle East cracks https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/brics-wall-has-growing-middle-east-cracks Tue, 12 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/brics-wall-has-growing-middle-east-cracks At the upcoming Brics Foreign Ministers meeting, New Delhi will seek to shift the bloc towards greater geoeconomic focus BYD and peers make strides in every market but their own https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/byd-and-peers-make-strides-every-market-their-own Tue, 12 May 2026 22:30:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/byd-and-peers-make-strides-every-market-their-own Beijing is switching its attention to newer sectors such as AI and robotics Why US$70 should be the most worrying number for LNG https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/why-us70-should-be-most-worrying-number-lng Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/why-us70-should-be-most-worrying-number-lng The number is a decent approximation for the price of LNG-fired electricity from an existing plant Today’s geopolitical disruption demands a new crisis plan for Singapore SMEs https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/todays-geopolitical-disruption-demands-new-crisis-plan-singapore-smes Mon, 11 May 2026 23:15:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/todays-geopolitical-disruption-demands-new-crisis-plan-singapore-smes Forget the survival playbook from the Covid-19 era The 10-minute AI lobotomy is here https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/10-minute-ai-lobotomy-here Mon, 11 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/10-minute-ai-lobotomy-here Are productivity gains worth the cost of a mindless workforce?  The collision of imbalances shaping a more contested world – and why tariffs are not the answer https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/collision-imbalances-shaping-more-contested-world-and-why-tariffs-are-not-answer Mon, 11 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/collision-imbalances-shaping-more-contested-world-and-why-tariffs-are-not-answer Uneven gains and strategic tensions are driving politics and fuelling scepticism towards globalisation South Korea’s chip surge hides the market’s vulnerabilities https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/south-koreas-chip-surge-hides-markets-vulnerabilities Mon, 11 May 2026 09:13:09 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/south-koreas-chip-surge-hides-markets-vulnerabilities The Kospi’s sharp sprints and volatility make for a perilous investing landscape, especially for average investors Should developers build more one-bedroom condo units? https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/should-developers-build-more-one-bedroom-condo-units Mon, 11 May 2026 04:45:42 +0000 Leslie Yee Opinion & Features Columns Property Residential /opinion-features/should-developers-build-more-one-bedroom-condo-units Affordability, leasing demand and an ageing population support having more of such housing When US trade court says no: The limits of presidential tariff authority https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/when-us-trade-court-says-no-limits-presidential-tariff-authority Mon, 11 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/when-us-trade-court-says-no-limits-presidential-tariff-authority The Trump administration has now lost its two boldest legal theories for unilateral, across-the-board tariffs Changi leads the world. That is not the same as leading the decade https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/changi-leads-world-not-same-leading-decade Sun, 10 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/changi-leads-world-not-same-leading-decade Singapore’s aviation ecosystem earns another set of superlatives. The harder questions lie beneath the headlines US-China summit: Will Xi and Trump stabilise ties? https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/us-china-summit-will-xi-and-trump-stabilise-ties Sun, 10 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/us-china-summit-will-xi-and-trump-stabilise-ties Beyond Beijing and Washington, Asia-Pacific will watch the bilateral meeting closely Why Trump is China’s most valuable asset https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/why-trump-chinas-most-valuable-asset Sun, 10 May 2026 22:45:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/why-trump-chinas-most-valuable-asset With global attention on the US-China summit, is it really the ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ keeping the West from a coordinated strategy? The modern worker in trouble https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/modern-worker-trouble Fri, 08 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/modern-worker-trouble From blurring work-life boundaries to the growing gap in housing affordability, the picture is looking grim Issue 193: Singapore-listed palm oil stocks catch biodiesel spark https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/newsletters/esg-insights/issue-193-singapore-listed-palm-oil-stocks-catch-biodiesel-spark Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Kenneth Lim ESG Insights Columns ESG Newsletters Opinion & Features /newsletters/esg-insights/issue-193-singapore-listed-palm-oil-stocks-catch-biodiesel-spark This week in ESG: Analysts raise forecasts for crude palm oil as Iran war continues Hong Kong’s art-auction rebound is a liquidity story – and Singapore’s opportunity https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/hong-kongs-art-auction-rebound-liquidity-story-and-singapores-opportunity Fri, 08 May 2026 04:30:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/hong-kongs-art-auction-rebound-liquidity-story-and-singapores-opportunity How Singapore can make art a financeable asset class China: From consumer goods exporter to the ‘industrial mother machine’ https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/china-consumer-goods-exporter-industrial-mother-machine Fri, 08 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/china-consumer-goods-exporter-industrial-mother-machine The country’s relationship with the world economy is undergoing a profound restructuring Executive condo prices may be dampened by new measures, but don’t expect a sharp fall https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/executive-condo-prices-may-be-dampened-new-measures-dont-expect-sharp-fall Fri, 08 May 2026 01:49:54 +0000 Leslie Yee Opinion & Features Columns Property Residential /opinion-features/executive-condo-prices-may-be-dampened-new-measures-dont-expect-sharp-fall Strengthening the housing system helps boost social cohesion How should Europe respond to the energy shock? https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/how-should-europe-respond-energy-shock Thu, 07 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/how-should-europe-respond-energy-shock A stronger emissions trading system would do far more for resilience than fuel-tax reductions US-China summit: managing a rivalry, not resolving it https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/us-china-summit-managing-rivalry-not-resolving-it Thu, 07 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Columns /opinion-features/us-china-summit-managing-rivalry-not-resolving-it Some of the most useful moves Trump and Xi can make are to lower the temperature and narrow the agenda