DAILY NEWS

Daily News – 18 August 2021 (Wed)

Singapore Real Estate

Over 10,000 apply for 450 Hougang 4-room BTO flats
Bigger Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in the non-mature estates of Hougang and Jurong East were more oversubscribed than those in mature estates in the Housing Board’s third sales exercise of the year. Home seekers made a beeline for the four-room flats in Hougang, which attracted one of the largest number of applicants for a non-mature estate in recent years.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/over-10000-apply-for-450-hougang-4-room-bto-flats
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/bigger-bto-flats-in-non-mature-estates-see-strong-demand

Singapore Economy

Singapore may test business travel from some nations in Sept
Singapore plans to set up pilot programmes next month to allow vaccinated business travellers from some countries to enter on carefully controlled itineraries as it takes steps to reopen its borders. Singapore is in talks with Germany, Australia, Canada and South Korea to be the first batch of countries for such arrangements…
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-may-test-business-travel-from-some-nations-in-sept

Global tax reforms will not hurt Singapore’s competitiveness: EDB chairman
Singapore is confident that global tax reforms will not hurt its competitiveness given the “strong value propositions” it has built up over the years, said Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) chairman Beh Swan Gin.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/global-tax-reforms-will-not-hurt-singapores-competitiveness-edb-chairman

Green push to seed new jobs in carbon services, product development
Singapore’s sustainability push is likely to seed new jobs in carbon services and product development, said Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) chairman Beh Swan Gin. “(This) area is so new, so nascent, a lot of it will be companies trying to innovate and create new products,”
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/green-push-to-seed-new-jobs-in-carbon-services-product-development
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/sustainability-push-to-create-new-types-of-jobs-edb-chair

Companies’ Brief

CapitaLand Investment may pave way for other real estate investment managers to list on SGX
Shareholders of CapitaLand have had plenty to cheer about over the last few months. The property group recently posted a net profit of S$922 million for the first six months of 2021, putting it well on track to reversing its full-year loss in 2020.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/capitaland-investment-may-pave-way-for-other-real-estate-investment-managers-to

Views, Reviews, Forum & Others

Singapore’s psyche must be prepared for living life with Covid-19
With vaccination coverage on track to reach targets, severe case numbers holding steady, and new daily cases on a downward trend, Singapore’s Covid-19 situation appears to have stabilised for now – hopefully enough to allow for the further easing of measures on Aug 19, as planned.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/singapores-psyche-must-be-prepared-for-living-life-with-covid-19

Circular Economy and clean technology for a sustainable future
The industrial revolution has given rise to unprecedented levels of prosperity for nearly three centuries. However, it has proven to be a double-edged sword, having created immense amounts of environmental waste that will remain a problem for future generations.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/circular-economy-and-clean-technology-for-a-sustainable-future

BRICS flexing muscles on the world stage
The diplomatic highlight of each September is the annual UN General Assembly meetings, yet next month sees much stronger competition in a bumper month of global summitry that includes the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) forums.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/brics-flexing-muscles-on-the-world-stage

How to ensure corporate governance and responsible investment in private equity go hand-in-hand
Private equity as an investment class is older than many of those reading this review. It is a faster-growing part of the investment universe than publicly listed companies, which are decreasing in number.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/wealth-investing/how-to-ensure-corporate-governance-and-responsible-investment-in-private-equity-go

Changes to eligibility of cancer drugs for claims under MediShield Life
Cancer drug treatments are under scrutiny as a cause of soaring healthcare and claims costs. Current cancer patients will have to brace for changes. From September next year, outpatient cancer drugs will have to be included in a list of clinically proven and cost effective cancer drug treatments, in order to be eligible for claims under the MediShield Life.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/banking-finance/changes-to-eligibility-of-cancer-drugs-for-claims-under-medishield-life
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/medishield-life-changes-aim-to-tackle-rising-amount-spore-spends-on-cancer-drugs

Update on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Situation

90-year-old fully vaccinated man is Singapore’s first to die from Covid-19 complications
A 90-year-old man who was fully vaccinated but had a history of chronic kidney disease and hypertension died from Covid-19 complications on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said. He is the first fully vaccinated person to die from issues linked to Covid-19 in Singapore.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/90-year-old-fully-vaccinated-man-is-singapores-first-to-die-from-covid-19
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/man-90-is-first-vaccinated-person-to-die-of-covid-19-here

Accepting risks as Covid-19 curbs are eased
Around the world, the pandemic has stirred frustration and discontent. People have faced economic hardship for over a year now. Some chafe at continued restrictions, while others fret about the risks associated with opening up.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/accepting-risks-as-covid-19-curbs-are-eased

Every household can collect free surgical and N95 masks from Aug 26
Households here will each be given 50 medical-grade surgical masks and 25 N95 respirator masks, which they can collect at 131 supermarket outlets islandwide from Aug 26. This is the fifth distribution exercise of Temasek Foundation’s Stay Prepared initiative.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/every-household-can-collect-free-surgical-and-n95-masks-from-aug-26

*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