DAILY NEWS

Daily News – 1 October 2021 (Fri)

Singapore Real Estate

Singapore private home prices up 0.9% in Q3 from previous quarter: URA flash estimates
Singapore’s private home prices in Q3 rose for the sixth straight quarter. Based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) flash estimates, the overall price index for private homes grew 0.9 per cent over the preceding quarter.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/singapore-private-home-prices-up-09-in-q3-from-previous-quarter-ura-flash-estimates
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/singapore-private-home-prices-up-09-in-q3-rising-for-6th-straight-quarter-flash

HDB resale prices hit new record high with 2.7% rise in Q3: flash data
[Singapore] The resale prices of Housing Board flats climbed for the sixth consecutive quarter to exceed their previous peak in the second quarter of 2013 by 0.7 per cent, flash estimates showed on Friday.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/hdb-resale-prices-hit-new-record-high-with-27-rise-in-q3-flash-data
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/hdb-resale-prices-rise-27-in-q3-flash-data

URA launches residential sites at Lentor Hills Road, Jalan Tembusu for tender
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has released for sale three residential sites at Lentor Hills Road (Parcels A & B) and Jalan Tembusu, it said in a statement on Thursday. The sites are released under the second half 2021 government land sales (GLS) programme.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/ura-launches-residential-sites-at-lentor-hills-road-jalan-tembusu-for-tender
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/ura-releases-for-sale-residential-sites-at-lentor-hills-road-jalan-tembusu

SHN crunch hobbles scheme to bring in labour for key sectors
The rise in local Covid-19 infection rates appears to have made it harder for migrant workers to enter Singapore via a pilot programme introduced in July this year. The programme was introduced for workers coming from India and Malaysia, and was intended to alleviate the manpower crunch faced by the construction, marine and process (CMP) sectors.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/programme-to-counter-labour-crunch-in-key-sectors-stalls-as-covid-cases-rise

IOI’s lone bet on Marina View is on an endemic future, 7 years on
A key source of acquiring land for development in Singapore is via participating in government land tenders. Typically, bidders submit their bids by a stipulated deadline with the highest bidder prevailing. Behind the scenes, bidders would be furiously running numbers and getting supporting market data to see what bid price can be justified.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/commentaries/iois-lone-bet-on-marina-view-is-on-an-endemic-future-7-years-on

Companies’ Brief

Former CapitaLand chief executive Lim Ming Yan to join HDB board on Oct 1
The Ministry of National Development (MND) on Thursday announced the appointment of Lim Ming Yan to the board of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) with effect from Oct 1, 2021 to Sept 30, 2022. HDB is Singapore’s public housing authority and a statutory board under the MND.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/former-capitaland-chief-executive-lim-ming-yan-to-join-hdb-board-on-oct-1

Lim Swee Say to be appointed independent director for Ho Bee Land on Oct 1
Former manpower minister Lim Swee Say will join real estate developer Ho Bee Land as a non-executive independent director from Oct 1. Mr Lim will also be a member of Ho Bee Land’s audit & risk and nominating committees, the Mainboard-listed company said in a bourse filing on Thursday.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/lim-swee-say-to-be-appointed-independent-director-for-ho-bee-land-on-oct-1

Mapletree bets US$3b on two US logistics portfolios
Mapletree Investments has acquired two portfolios of logistics assets in the United States, comprising 141 income-producing assets for a total investment value of approximately US$3 billion. The latest acquisition will give it scale and investor interest to create a fourth US-focused private fund with a fully seeded portfolio of 155 logistics assets, the company said.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/mapletree-bets-us3b-on-two-us-logistics-portfolios
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/mapletree-buys-us-logistics-assets-for-4-billion

UOL unit secures S$540m sustainability-linked Sora-based loan
UOL Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, UOL Treasury Services, has secured a S$540 million sustainability-linked loan that is pegged to the Singapore Overnight Rate Average (Sora). The five-year loan will be used for general corporate purposes and to refinance existing loan facilities, the property group said in a statement on Friday.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/uol-unit-secures-s540m-sustainability-linked-sora-based-loan

Corporate digest
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/corporate-digest-1459

Views, Reviews, Forum & Others

Why the non-fungible tokens of the future may belong on Bitcoin
The concept of unique tokens recorded on a blockchain dates back to 2012 and “coloured coins” on the Bitcoin network. There were also early experiments on the Bitcoin network with digital collectibles, coupons and property.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/why-the-non-fungible-tokens-of-the-future-may-belong-on-bitcoin

Keep ESG disclosures to useful metrics and benchmarks, say investment managers
Companies are providing more data on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, but not all the information will be useful for investors. Investment managers attending Ecosperity Week, a three-day sustainability conference presented by Temasek, instead suggested focusing on how the information would be used.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/keep-esg-disclosures-to-useful-metrics-and-benchmarks-say-investment-managers
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/widen-investment-options-for-retail-investors-ho-ching
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/sustainability-to-be-key-criteria-in-sias-corporate-governance-award-0

The good fight: Singapore companies’ role in securing our food supply
There’s no denying that climate change has had tremendous impact on agriculture, and many aspects of the world’s consumption and production of food are no longer sustainable. For resource-poor Singapore, these issues are hitting close to home as we continue to deal with a global supply crunch.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/weekend/the-good-fight-singapore-companies-role-in-securing-our-food-supply

New $180 million ESG scheme to help 6,000 Singapore companies go green
Singapore – A new programme was launched on Friday (Oct 1) to help local companies develop sustainability capabilities, so they can better seize opportunities in the green economy. Enterprise Singapore (ESG) will set aside up to $180 million for the programme, which is expected to benefit at least 6,000 enterprises over the next four years.
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/new-180-million-esg-scheme-to-help-6000-singapore-companies-go-green

Central banks should focus on data, taxonomy and disclosure to promote green finance: MAS chief
Singapore – To promote green finance, central banks should focus on improving the quality and availability of data on emissions, developing compatible taxonomy to determine which activities qualify as sustainable, and implementing a set of standards for disclosure.
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/central-banks-should-focus-on-data-taxonomy-and-disclosure-to-promote-green-finance

Update on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Situation

Two more seniors die from Covid-19, taking Singapore’s death toll to 95; 2,478 new cases reported
[Singapore] Two more seniors have died from complications due to Covid-19, taking Singapore’s coronavirus death toll to 95. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday that the two seniors were a 79-year-old female permanent resident and an 87-year-old female citizen.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/two-more-seniors-die-from-covid-19-taking-singapores-death-toll-to-95-2478-new
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-more-seniors-die-from-covid-19-taking-death-toll-to-95-2478-new-cases-reported

S’pore’s daily Covid-19 numbers should not blur the bigger picture and cause unintended pain
Singapore – The Covid-19 numbers released every day by the Ministry of Health (MOH) are quite troubling. In all, more than 1,000 people are in hospital on account of Covid-19 and more than 200 among them are seriously or critically ill.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/daily-covid-19-numbers-should-not-blur-the-bigger-picture-and-cause-unintended-pain

Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre reopens with enhanced measures after Covid-19 deep-cleaning
Singapore – Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre reopened on Thursday (Sept 30) afternoon with enhanced safety measures after a three-day closure for deep cleaning and disinfection following the detection of Covid-19 cases.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pasir-panjang-wholesale-centre-reopens-after-a-three-day-closure-some-workers-denied-entry

Two more market and food centres closed due to Covid-19 transmission among stalls and workers
Singapore – The markets and food centres in Geylang Bahru and Bendemeer will be closed for cleaning and disinfection for three days, starting on Saturday (Oct 2), after stallholders and workers there were found to have Covid-19.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-more-market-and-food-centres-closed-due-to-covid-19-transmission-among-stalls-and

$15 antigen rapid testing available at 25 quick test centres islandwide from Oct 1
Singapore – For $15, people can now take an antigen rapid test (ART) at any of the 25 quick test centres islandwide after booking an appointment. Appointments can be made from Friday (Oct 1) at this website.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/15-art-testing-available-at-25-quick-test-centres-islandwide-from-oct-1-hpb

Covid-19 antibody cocktail treatment to arrive in Singapore in October
Singapore – More treatments are now available here for Covid-19 patients, as Singapore continues to battle against a rising number of coronavirus infections. The latest addition to this arsenal of treatment options is a Covid-19 antibody cocktail, which was developed by Regeneron and Roche.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/covid-19-antibody-cocktail-treatment-to-arrive-in-singapore-in-october

Seniors in S’pore urged to stay home for next 4 weeks to protect themselves against Covid-19
Singapore – All seniors aged 60 and above, and those living with them are strongly urged to stay at home as the Covid-19 situation stabilises in Singapore, especially if they are unvaccinated. The recent rise in Covid-19 cases has seen more seniors experiencing severe symptoms when infected, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 30).
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/seniors-urged-to-stay-at-home-for-next-4-weeks-to-protect-themselves-against-covid

Seniors can walk in for Covid-19 booster shot without appointment from Oct 1
Singapore – From Friday (Oct 1), all Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders aged 60 and above will be able to walk in to any vaccination centre, polyclinic, or participating public health preparedness clinic to get a third shot of the
Covid-19 vaccine, without the need for an appointment.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/seniors-can-walk-in-for-covid-19-booster-shot-without-appointment-from-oct-1

*For more information, please visit the Ministry of Health (MOH) website at www.moh.gov.sg and refer to go.gov.sg/mohupdates for updates on the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) situation