Daily Debrief: What Happened Today (Dec 9)

Stories you might have missed

Slowing trade in 2026 could crimp Asia’s growth momentum, but expect tech run to continue, say economists

[SINGAPORE] Asia’s growth story in robust exports and investments surprised sceptics in 2025, but the momentum could slow down in the year ahead.

Aster invests US$155 million to expand Singapore’s Bukom refinery capacity

[SINGAPORE] Aster Chemicals and Energy said on Tuesday (Dec 9) that it has invested US$155 million in rejuvenation projects at its Bukom refining facility, in a bid to strengthen energy supply resilience.

Jardine Matheson’s bid to privatise Mandarin Oriental gets shareholders’ nod

[SINGAPORE] Shareholders of Mandarin Oriental International on Monday (Dec 8) voted in favour of Jardine Matheson’s move to delist its hotel subsidiary under a scheme of arrangement that values the company at about US$4.2 billion.

‘It’s staggering’ how Singapore is always thinking ahead: JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon in exclusive BT interview

[SINGAPORE] When JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon wants to get a pulse of what is going on in the world, he prefers to see things for himself and meet people in person – even if it means jetting halfway around the globe.

Singapore-focused investors look to tech sector for growth: poll

[SINGAPORE] Even as the tech sector takes a beating across the world, Singapore-focused investors believe it will attract the most investment across the next three years.

Vietnam’s consumer-goods king Masan Consumer wants to spice things up in South-east Asia, China

[HO CHI MINH CITY] With its move to the big league – the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) – slated for this month, Vietnam’s leading maker of chilli, fish and soy sauces, Masan Consumer, is saucing up its global expansion.