The great American shift - from spending to saving
WASHINGTON Recession-wary Americans embraced the virtues of thrift over Christmas, with stores reporting a clear rise in the popularity of piggy banks. |
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Richardson withdraws bid to be US commerce secretary
WASHINGTON New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson abandoned his bid to become commerce secretary under pressure of a grand jury investigation about political favouritism - an investigation that threatened to embarrass President-elect Barack Obama. |
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Apple chief being treated for nutritional illness
SAN FRANCISCO Steve Jobs, after months of concern about his health and weight loss, said he is suffering from a nutritional ailment and that he plans to remain Apple Inc's chief executive officer during his treatment. |
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US stimulus plan throws in US$300b tax break
WASHINGTON US President-elect Barack Obama is including a US$300 billion tax break in his massive stimulus package for the US economy that he was scheduled to begin discussing with lawmakers yesterday, The Wall Street Journal said on Sunday. |
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Malaysia braces for mounting job losses
ECONOMISTS are projecting Malaysia's jobless rate to rise to between 4 and 4.5 per cent this year following a third-quarter 2008 spike when lay-offs were four times those in Q2. |
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Projects melt, Jurong Island feels the heat
SINGAPORE As major investors postpone their mega projects on Jurong Island, the knock-on effect is making matters worse. |
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Special auditor to probe NEL affairs
SINGAPORE The Singapore Exchange SGX has directed the troubled NEL Group to immediately appoint a special auditor to investigate the affairs of the company. |
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Three-minute digest
THE construction sector looks to be the only pillar of growth in the Singapore economy this year, especially if there are significant increases in public infrastructure spending. |
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BOJ may move to curb soaring yen
TOKYO Japan's central bank chief warned yesterday that the soaring yen was hurting Asia's largest economy and said he was looking at measures to cope with it. |
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Ukraine gas row gives Europe chills
KIEV/MOSCOW Russia and Ukraine looked no closer to compromise yesterday over a gas dispute that has disrupted supplies to four European Union countries as they face freezing winter temperatures. |
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Market off to rousing start with surge
IF US stock market investors were looking for a good omen with which to start the new year, they couldn't have asked for a much better one than the first trading day of the new year. |
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Sweeter travel deals as jet fuel price falls
SINGAPORE With jet fuel trading at nearly half of what it used to cost and with travel demand contracting, air travellers may just be able to grab some pretty sweet deals. |
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Wage hike pendulum swings the other way
SINGAPORE It's a reflection of how fast the Singapore economy is turning down. |
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Pillar of strength in a wilting economy
SINGAPORE The construction sector looks to be the only pillar of growth in the Singapore economy this year, especially if there are significant increases in public infrastructure spending. |
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Record pace of job cuts in China, Russia and India
FACTORIES in China, India and Russia slashed output and jobs at a record pace in December in another sign the world's largest emerging markets were wilting under the recession that has gripped most industrialised nations. |
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Dismal manufacturing numbers test Obama
MANUFACTURING in the US shrank in December at the fastest pace in almost three decades as the recession deepened and spread overseas. |
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A*Star chairman among people to watch in science
AGENCY for Science Technology and Research A*Star chairman Lim Chuan Poh has been named one of eight key figures in the world of science by an international publication. |
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Q4 private home price slide is worst in decade
IN its worst showing since Q4 1998, the official private home price index slid 5.7 per cent in Q4 last year over the preceding quarter. For full-year 2008, the index fell 4.3 per cent, reversing a 31.2 per cent jump in 2007. |
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The search is on for new M1 chief
THE first telecom chief to lock horns with incumbent SingTel over a decade ago has decided to call it quits. |
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Economy bears challenge the Ox
THE Year of the Ox may be around the corner, but the latest gross domestic product figures have brought out the market bears in force, with the official growth forecast for 2009 now skewed towards the red. |
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