The scaled-back handouts leave room for future support; the new measures could enable the continued recovery of the capital market [SINGAPORE] The Singapore market pulled back on Friday (Feb 13) following Budget 2026 announcements, even as the government unveiled measures to boost existing equities, startups and new listings. On Thursday, the Straits Times Index (STI) crossed the 5,000-point barrier before the statement was delivered, buoyed by a strong 43.5 per cent net profit increase for Singtel. It later closed 0.7 per cent up at 5,016.76 points after the Budget statement. But the momentum did not hold. As at 2.30 pm on Friday, the STI fell 1.6 per cent to 4,936.51, dipping back below the 5,000 mark. This drop was led by local banks’ shares – DBS fell 1.7 per cent, while OCBC slid 3.1 per cent and UOB declined 2.4 per cent. The STI ended Friday’s session at 4,937.78, while...

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Sectors from essentials to manufacturing, defence, property and energy could be affected [SINGAPORE] Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong’s Budget 2026 statement on Thursday (Feb 12) covered themes of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, internationalisation and financial sector development. Among the announcements, highlights included a S$1.5 billion top-up to expand the Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP), higher minimum qualifying salaries for foreign workers, a S$1 billion injection to the Startup SG Equity scheme, more Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers and a re-assessment of Singapore’s carbon tax trajectory. With these initiatives set to affect sectors across the country’s economy – from essentials to manufacturing, defence, property and energy – some stocks on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) could benefit, while others might be disadvantaged. Notably, stocks with tech exposure such as ST Engineering and Singtel, real estate players like CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), and firms involved in sustainability efforts such as...

Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 14 (ANI): KANKO, Japan’s most reputed school uniform manufacturer with a distinguished 170-year legacy (founded in 1854), is exploring the possibility of building a reliable and long-term manufacturing partnership in Tiruppur as part of its global supply chain expansion strategy. During the interaction, KM Subramanian, President, Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA) mentio Source link

Labour movement expects to roll out partial funding for eligible artificial intelligence tools within the first half of the year for union members [SINGAPORE] The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on Friday (Feb 13) launched an initiative to help workers and businesses adapt to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, including subsidised access to AI tools and a dedicated training pathway. Labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who launched the AI-Ready SG initiative at the start of the NTUC’s two-day career festival, said that it reflects the labour movement’s focus on supporting workers and addressing job security concerns arising from the rapid adoption of AI. Earlier this week, NTUC had called for “stronger job security measures and improved transition support for workers, particularly PMEs (professionals, managers and executives)” as AI continues to reshape workplaces. This was as its survey found that more than half of PMEs n...

Mexico City [Mexico], February 14 (ANI): The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) concluded its fifth plenary under the Mexican presidency this week, drawing more than 600 delegates to Mexico City in what leaders described as a united front against illicit finance. The plenary approved the FATF’s strategic priorities for 2026 to 2028, which will be presented to ministers for endorsement in April. Central to the new Source link

Published Fri, Feb 13, 2026 · 02:05 PM [SINGAPORE] As mania about “mystery” shopping sweeps through the world, Singapore is moving to tackle gambling risks raised by products which conceal their specific contents from shoppers. Singapore’s gambling authorities and home affairs ministry have decided to regulate how such “blind boxes” are offered to the public, according to a written reply to a parliamentary question on Feb 12. While authorities draft new regulations, they will consider standardising and making it mandatory for boxes to disclose the probability of receiving certain products. The move aims to better manage gambling inducement risks, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said. The blind box phenomenon, which has fuelled surges in revenue for toy manufacturers such as Pop Mart International Group and Miniso Group Holding, has driven fans to hunt down rare models and resell valuable items for thousands of...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A carjacking and child abduction ended with a dramatic rescue after the suspect crashed into another vehicle during a police pursuit, First Coast News reported. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, a woman reported that a man forcibly removed her from her vehicle before driving off with her 1-year-old daughter still inside on Feb. 8. | SPECIAL REPORT: The DFR decisions every chief faces before the first drone ever flies Officers quickly located the stolen vehicle and initiated a pursuit. During the pursuit, the suspect crashed into another car just a few streets away. A 14-year-old in the struck vehicle escaped, but an adult woman remained trapped as the vehicle caught fire. Body camera footage shows Officer Almin Residovic pulling the injured woman from the burning car and extinguishing flames in her hair. “I got to her just in time,” Residovic told a fellow officer. The woman...

Led by Chee Hong Tat, the group includes top executives from GIC, Temasek and DBS, along with public and private sector representatives [SINGAPORE] A newly formed workgroup aimed at enhancing Singapore’s growth capital ecosystem will seek to bridge the gap between private funding and public listings, creating a smoother pipeline from venture capital stage to initial public offerings (IPOs). Speaking at a doorstop interview on Friday (Feb 13), deputy chairman of the Monetary of Singapore (MAS) Chee Hong Tat said that the initiative aims to ensure companies can access suitable funding at every stage of growth. He noted that this approach must be viewed as part of an ecosystem – while some may initially benefit from venture capital, as they scale, they will be able to access additional funding from private markets and, eventually, public markets. “If you do it well, different components of the ecosystem will reinforce one another,...

Love is in the air at a local hospital. On Friday, the day before Valentine’s Day, Jefferson Health shared photos of babies at its Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) who are celebrating the holiday for the first time. Take a look at the adorable pictures below: Jefferson Health Jefferson Health Jefferson Health Jefferson Health Jefferson Health has five Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Center City and North Philadelphia, Abington, East Norriton and Washington Township, New Jersey. Source link