DAILY NEWS

Daily News – 12 November 2021 (Fri)

Singapore Real Estate

Prime public housing model may include areas beyond waterfront, city centre: Indranee
An area like the Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW), with sea views and proximity to the city centre, would likely be considered a prime public housing locale by many people. But different areas may also become prime over time, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah during a radio show on Thursday (Nov 11).
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/prime-sites-under-new-public-housing-model-hard-to-define-new-prime-areas-may-emerge
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/new-public-housing-model-different-areas-may-become-prime-over-time-says-indranee

Singapore Economy

PM Lee urges Apec to help firms embrace digital trade
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) bloc should extend its scope to cover the digital economy, warning that smaller companies in the 21-member grouping risk falling behind the rest of the world.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/pm-lee-urges-apec-to-help-firms-embrace-digital-trade
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/set-global-digital-standards-to-close-gap-between-haves-have-nots-pm-lee

Companies’ Brief

Frasers Property swings back to black with H2 profit of S$528.4m
Frasers Property has reversed into the black for the second half of the fiscal year. The mainboard-listed property developer saw strong contributions from industrial and logistics, including gains from a valuation uplift and a one-time gain from the reclassification of a portfolio of industrial and logistics properties.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/frasers-property-swings-back-to-black-with-h2-profit-of-s5284m

FLCT posts 6.3% rise in H2 DPU to S$0.0388
Frasers Logistics and Commercial Trust’s (FLCT) distribution per unit (DPU) rose by 6.3 per cent to 3.88 Singapore cents for its second half ended Sep 30, from 3.65 cents a year ago. Gross revenue was up 11.4 per cent to S$237.6 million for the half-year period, from S$213.3 million a year ago.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/flct-posts-63-rise-in-h2-dpu-to-s00388

Singapore’s Q Investment Partners gets set for Japan housing foray
Q Investment Partners (QIP) will soon dip its toes into the Japanese residential scene, while doubling down on its key markets of UK purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and US co-living properties. The Singapore-based private equity real estate firm plans to enter Japan next year…
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/singapores-q-investment-partners-gets-set-for-japan-housing-foray

Views, Reviews, Forum & Others

Apec charts the pathway from pandemic
While much of the globe is focused on the COP26 climate summit in Scotland, at the other end of the world on Nov 12 and 13 will be another key meeting – the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leadership session including Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/apec-charts-the-pathway-from-pandemic

Cutting emissions isn’t enough; the world needs to move to a circular economy
This year’s United Nations climate summit, COP26 – held over for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic – has seen parties make up for lost time; governments, corporations and community groups alike have made bold pledges to cut their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in a bid to reduce global warming and avert a deepening of the climate crisis.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/cutting-emissions-isnt-enough-the-world-needs-to-move-to-a-circular-economy

Performance reviews need a brand new P&L
Performance reviews are clearly in need of an overhaul. A 2019 Gallup poll found that a mere 14 per cent of employees are strongly inspired to improve by their performance reviews. At best met with a lack of enthusiasm, at worst with resentment, this annual exercise in the era of The Great Resignation has scope for improvement.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/leadership-management/performance-reviews-need-a-brand-new-pl

Update on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Situation

Singapore reports 2,396 new Covid-19 cases; weekly infection growth rate at 0.87
[Singapore] There were 2,396 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday (Nov 11), down from 3,481 a day earlier, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily report. The Covid-19 weekly infection growth rate dipped slightly to 0.87, from 0.88 on Wednesday (Nov 10).
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-reports-2396-new-covid-19-cases-weekly-infection-growth-rate-at-087
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/spore-reports-2396-new-covid-19-cases-weekly-infection-growth-rate-at-087

169 inmates are Covid-19 positive, including prisoners on death row: Singapore Prison Service
Singapore – The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on Thursday (Nov 11) that 169 inmates across all prison facilities are Covid-19 positive as at Wednesday (Nov 10). In response to queries from The Straits Times, SPS said that of these 169, 116 are from Institution A1 of Changi Prison Complex.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/169-inmates-are-covid-19-positive-says-singapore-prison-service

Govt to review when ‘fully vaccinated’ Covid-19 status expires for S’pore residents
Singapore – The validity period during which Singapore residents will be considered “fully vaccinated” after their last Covid-19 jab will be reviewed as more data becomes available, the Government has said. Under the current regulations, a person’s vaccination status expires one year and 14 days after their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/govt-to-review-when-fully-vaccinated-status-expires-for-residents

Easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions in S’pore could lead to uptick in flu cases, doctors warn
Singapore – People should take their flu jabs to protect against concurrent infection of both Covid-19 and the flu, which can lead to severe disease, doctors have advised. This is especially important as Singapore continues to ease its travel restrictions and opens up its borders, they said, adding that influenza cases can be expected to rise.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/easing-of-covid-19-travel-restrictions-in-spore-could-lead-to-uptick-in-flu-cases-doctors

Might VTL countries tighten curbs on arrivals from Singapore?
Some Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) countries, such as Denmark, have changed the requirements for arrivals from Singapore after the European Union removed the Republic from its whitelist. Could restrictions tighten in other countries too? Not necessarily, as long as you are fully vaccinated.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/might-vtl-countries-tighten-curbs-on-arrivals-from-singapore

S’pore travellers to Denmark have to serve quarantine; more curbs by European nations likely, says expert
Singapore – Singapore residents will no longer be able to enjoy two-way quarantine-free travel with Denmark, after the country reclassified Singapore as a country with a high risk of Covid-19 infections. Owing to the reclassification, travellers from Singapore will have to serve a 10-day self-isolation period upon arrival in Denmark…
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/spore-travellers-to-denmark-have-to-serve-up-to-10-day-quarantine-more-curbs-by
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/denmark-imposes-quarantine-for-travellers-from-singapore

The Big Story: Faster check-ins with latest update to TraceTogether app
Catch up on the hottest topics on The Big Story, The Straits Times’ weekday online news programme. An animated otter against a green background will now show up on the SafeEntry check-in pass of some TraceTogether app users when they clear vaccination and test status checks.
https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/the-big-story-faster-check-ins-with-latest-update-to-tracetogether-app

*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