DAILY NEWS

Daily News – 5th, 6th and 7th February 2019

Singapore Real Estate

GCB market to take a breather this year?
The Good Class Bungalow (GCB) market may take a breather in 2019 from the strong showing last year, according to some observers, who highlight among other things an exceptionally high base in 2018, with several big-ticket transactions. The total value of deals in GCB Areas climbed 16 per cent to S$1.03 billion in 2018 from S$888.6 million in 2017, based on an analysis of caveats data by List Sotheby’s International Realty, Singapore (List SIR).
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/gcb-market-to-take-a-breather-this-year-0

Braddell View en bloc signing hits 80% consent
Signing of the collective sale agreement for Braddell View, the biggest of Singapore’s 18 former HUDC estates, has reached the 80 per cent consensus mark. Colliers International, the marketing agent for the collective sale, confirmed this when contacted by The Business Times on Wednesday. “However, this is still subject to legal verification and the five-day cooling-off period,” said the property consulting group’s managing director Tang Wei Leng.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/braddell-view-en-bloc-signing-hits-80-consent

Singapore Economy

Singapore’s manufacturing growth at two-year low in January
Singapore’s manufacturing growth slowed for the fifth straight month in January, with the electronics sector remaining in contraction for the third month in a row, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) on Monday.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/infographics/singapores-manufacturing-growth-at-two-year-low-in-january
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/regional-downturn-dampens-singapore-factory-growth

Business interruption resurfaces as top business risk in Singapore
Business interruption has re-emerged as the top business risk in Singapore this year, with companies increasingly concerned about more diverse and complex business interruption scenarios coupled with rising costs, a recent report by German insurer Allianz has found.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/business-interruption-resurfaces-as-top-business-risk-in-singapore

Upgrade and improve lives amid a slowing global economy: PM
A slowing global economy and ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China will have an impact on Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, adding that growth in 2019 may not be as strong. “We will have challenges ahead,” Mr Lee said, noting that it is important to “keep on upgrading ourselves and improving lives for our workers”.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/upgrade-and-improve-lives-amid-a-slowing-global-economy-pm
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/keep-upgrading-pm-lee-urges-singaporeans
https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/vital-to-keep-upgrading-amid-slowing-global-economy-pm

Companies’ Brief

Singapore is highest ranked Asian city in Savills Tech Cities index
Singapore has emerged sixth in Savills World Research’s global rankings of 30 tech cities, making it the highest-ranked Asian city. The city state fared well in terms of tech environment, business environment and talent pool.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/singapore-is-highest-ranked-asian-city-in-savills-tech-cities-index

Views, Reviews, Forum & Others

Build special flats for those with autism
There is a need to provide housing options for those with special needs. The Housing Board could, for example, consider building an apartment block with affordable soundproofed units for those with autism who can live independently.
https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/build-special-flats-for-those-with-autism

Going digital the only way to revive Singapore’s retail sector
It used to be that the buzz along Orchard Road was a gauge of the health of Singapore’s retail industry. Those days are long gone in today’s high-tech retail world, where more of the action is moving online.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/going-digital-the-only-way-to-revive-singapores-retail-sector