Head of Business & Economics

Pakistan misses $8bn SEZ investment, 500,000-job targets: minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s quest to attract over $8 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and to generate 500,000 jobs between 2018 and 2024, remained well below the target, according…

Singapore must enable businesses to transform, workers to seize new opportunities in the 'AI era': Ng Chee Meng

Singapore does not want either extreme of unmanaged job disruption or workers pushing back defensively against AI, said the labour chief.

I’ve asked power in Pakistan one question for ten years on my podcast. This is the answer

Last year’s military confrontation with India delighted us with something Pakistan rarely experiences: a unified national response. One voice and one direction from a collective will that held under pressure. We have…

Over $8.4 million lost by S’pore-based firm in business e-mail scam recovered by police

The victim's staff received a spoofed e-mail and transferred US$6.6 million to a fraudulent bank account in Oman.

Bitcoin mining electricity theft costs Malaysia RM700m a year, says deputy minister

KUANTAN, May 5 — Malaysia loses an estimated RM700 million annually due to electricity theft linked to illegal bitcoin mining, said Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman…

Anwar: Govt to expand Jualan Rahmah with weekly sales in all state constituencies

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — The government will expand its Jualan Rahmah Madani initiative to be held weekly in every state constituency nationwide, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today. He said the move is…

Anwar orders rent cuts at federal govt-linked premises to aid small traders, urges states and local councils to follow suit

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Putrajaya will lower rental rates at federal government-owned commercial premises from this month to ease cost pressures on small traders, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today. He…

Hong Kong proposes tighter claw machine regulations over addiction fears

Hong Kong authorities have proposed tightening the regulation of claw machine shops by implementing a licensing regime to curb addiction risks. A claw machine in Hong Kong. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The Home and Youth…

Ex-Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik included in US-based company's list recognising digital identity pioneers

ISLAMABAD: Former Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik has been named one of the world’s top 25 identity leaders by US-based company Okta. The list , by Okta Ventures, the venture investment arm of Okta, is a “diverse compilation…

HSBC profit flat as Middle East provisions offset wealth growth

HSBC, Hong Kong’s largest lender, reported broadly flat first-quarter profit as lower interest rates and provisions linked to the Middle East conflict offset solid growth in its wealth management business. Net profit…

Trump family’s crypto firm sues backer

WASHINGTON: World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture co-founded by US President Donald Trump and his sons, said on Monday it had filed a defamation lawsuit against Hong Kong-based crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, in…

Chinese firms suspend US expansion as business climate worsens

PTI accuses govt of ‘unprecedented economic crisis’, slams claims of stability

ISLAMABAD: PTI accused the government on Monday of driving Pakistan into an “unprecedented economic and governance crisis” that has “crushed the common man”. In a statement, PTI’s Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas…

Pakistani delegation attends US investment summit to expand global footprint

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of 16 Pakistani entrepreneurs and business leaders is participating in the ‘SelectUSA Investment Summit’ that has opened in National Harbour, Maryland, to establish new connections and…

‘Golden week’: Hong Kong draws more mainland Chinese visitors but spending uneven

Hong Kong recorded a 4.8 per cent increase in mainland Chinese visitors in the first three days of the Labour Day “Golden Week” holiday, but industry players warned that uneven spending and more flexible travel patterns…

South Korean businessman found dead after paddleboarding trip in Ho Chi Minh City

A South Korean businessman was found dead on May 2 after going missing during a stand-up paddleboarding outing in Ho Chi Minh City the previous day, ending an overnight search involving more than 100 rescue personnel.

Hong Kong residential property upturn drives recovery in office, retail: Morgan Stanley

Hong Kong’s property market is poised for a broad-based recovery as a strong upturn in the residential segment spills over to the struggling office and retail sectors, according to analysts. Morgan Stanley upgraded its…

Bedok hawkers get rent and conservancy rebates; TB screening extended to May 8

Some businesses reported seeing up to 70 per cent fewer customers.

Presidential chief of staff orders action on biz abuses by ex-public employees

Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, on Monday ordered action on suspected business abuses by retired employees of public institutions and state-run companies. "Illegal and unjust preferential treatment for…

Sabah tourism can weather Middle East crisis, says Hajiji as new hotel investments roll in

KOTA KINABALU, May 4 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor is confident the state’s tourism sector will remain resilient despite challenges posed by the current Middle East conflict. He said that while the…