Lucida at Novena – Singapore – District 11

Lucida at Novena – Singapore – District 11

A factual escapist therapy, you demand less communicating to despair to the scrumptious fashion residing in it. With 62 units articulately mature in a 25-storey plumb region, every layer spells 3 magnetized apartments where nix routine is spared. The preponderant notion of immunity and joy ordinary, you’re promised the interest.

With 62 units articulately formed in a 25-storey plumb part, every plane spells 3 attractable apartments where zero everyday is spared. The paramount belief of freedom and joy everyday, you’re promised the game.

Tenure : Freehold
Location : 2 Suffolk Road (District 11)
Architect : JGP Architecture Pte Ltd
Development : 25 Storey Development with 62 Luxurious Units
Expected TOP : 31 December 2011

Floor Size :

Type A - 1 bedrm - 624 sqft
Type C - 3 bedrms - 1324 sqft
Type B - 2 bedrms - 1066 sqft
Type BP - 4 bedrms - 3854 sqft
Type B1 - 2 bedrms - 1098 sqft
Type CP - 4 bedrms - 4176 sqft
Facilities :-

- Swimming Pool
- Wading Pool
- Children’s Playground
- 24 Hours Security
- Carparks
- Hot & Cold Water Jet-
- Gymnasium
- BBQ Area
- Landscape

Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest, In SIngapore

Mindy Yong

(+65) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

http://www.hotvictory.com

Tierra Vue at St Patrick – Singapore – District 15

Tierra Vue – Singapore – District 15

Settled along relaxed tree-lined St Patrick’s Moving within amenity-rich Marine Parade, Tierra Vue promises to be a developing with a number. Carefully and sensitively fashioned to harmonise with its environment, this 129-unit home will dimension a seeable orchestra of pools, gardens, airy balconies, growing trees and teemingness of physical loose.

From the erectile 113,000 sf curtilage,to the deliberative option of leafage that present air in the hot climate, to the symphonic prime of materials and flag that give pay the use its uncomparable individuality, Tierra Vue give be a revel to the senses with its sagittate lines, modern compeer detailing and enticing flag.

Project : Tierra Vue

Developer : MCL Land (Properties) Pte Ltd
Address : 36, 38, 40, 42 St Patrick’s Road
District : 15
Tenure : Estate in Fee Simple (Freehold)
Expected TOP : 31 December 2010
Total Number Of Units : 129

Types : 2 Bedroom

Type A - 88 - 98 sq m (27 Units)
Type A(P) - 88 -135 sq m (09 Units)

3 Bedroom

Type B - 113 - 118 sq m (51 Units)
Type B(P) - 116 - 147 sq m (16 Units)
Type TB - 142 - 170 sq m (09 Units)

4 Bedroom Penthouses

Type PH - 178 - 210 sq m (17 Units)

Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest, In SIngapore

Mindy Yong

(+65) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

http://www.hotvictory.com

Singapore SMRT adds 700 extra train trips a week, costing it S$5m annually

Singapore SMRT adds 700 extra train trips a week, costing it S$5m annually

By Asha Popatlal,

SINGAPORE: SMRT is increasing the number of train trips by at least 700 a week to cut commuters’ waiting time and provide them with a more comfortable ride.

A common complaint by MRT passengers is that it gets very crowded at peak periods and on many occasions, commuters are not able to get on the train.

In February, 83 more train trips per week had been added. Now, SMRT is introducing even more trips.

More than 50 per cent of these will be during weekday lunch times (noon-2pm), when waiting time will be halved to just three-and-a-half minutes, SMRT said.

Improvements are also expected for those who go home later after work and those who go out on Friday evenings.

Vincent Tan, Vice President, Rail Operations, SMRT Trains, said: “We have added train trips where possible so that the average trainload is not more than 1,200 passengers.

“The added services will also mean that the trains will arrive within five minutes or less if the passenger loads are within 1,000 and 1,200 passengers.”

SMRT said they are already operating at the best intervals of two minutes at the peak within peak and cannot improve this any further, for now.

However, a few commuters were concerned that fares would go up with the increased trips.

In a month’s time, SMRT plans to increase frequency on weekends, for those travelling to and from town and the suburban areas.

SMRT promises that there will be a train arriving every five minutes when trains are packed.

The additional train trips have been rolled out at the most congested stations during lunchtime - between the Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay stations on the North-South line, and the Outram Park and Aljunied stations on the East-West line.

The additional train trips are expected to cost SMRT an additional S$5 million yearly. - CNA/vm

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 21 May 2008

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Singapore-listed company provides temporary housing for quake victims

Singapore-listed company provides temporary housing for quake victims

By Chio Su-Mei,

SINGAPORE: In the “many-helping-hands” approach to help the quake victims in China, a Singapore-listed multinational company is using its student dormitories as temporary shelters.

More than 440 quake victims of Shuang Liu county have settled into 110 student dormitories, provided by WBL Corporation Limited (Wearnes), and they will be there for the next five months.

Tan Choon Seng, Group CEO, WBL Corporation, said: “We are very close to the people in Chengdu because our association goes back a very long way. Other than the 250 employees that we currently have in Chengdu, we also know the government quite well. Therefore, we feel a need to do a little bit for the people who are affected.”

“These are our colleagues and our friends, so we were actually frantically trying to contact them. When we saw how bad the situation was, we were very saddened,” said Irene Lye, group general manager of Group Enterprise Risk Management, WBL Corporation.

Together with its China-based subsidiaries and associate companies, Wearnes has raised about S$126,000 (RMB 630,000) for the quake relief efforts.

It is also happy to report that all of its China-based staff are safe.

- CNA/so

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 21 May 2008

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Doctors should be alerted when combining western, TCM treatments - Singapore

Doctors should be alerted when combining western, TCM treatments - Singapore

By Liang Kaixin & Heather Tan,

SINGAPORE: With one in ten married couples facing fertility problems, more are turning to western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for help.

Doctors said it is all right to combine both types of treatment, but couples need to inform their doctors accordingly so that accurate prescriptions can be given.

Treatments under TCM such as acupuncture and foot reflexology are commonly used, and TCM fertility treatment encompasses many segments.

Colin Chan, a registered physician at Ideal Clinic and lecturer at College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said: “There are mainly four categories. The first one would be the blood category. The second would be dampness-heat category and the third type would be deficiency in kidney category.

“The two main points (in the third category) are the deficiency of the ‘yang’ energy and the deficiency of the ‘ying’ energy. And last, but not least, is the stagnation of ‘chi’ in the liver category.”

Chinese physicians said western and TCM treatments can complement each other and the effectiveness of such treatments has been enhanced with modern technology.

- CNA/so

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 21 May 2008

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Mindy Yong

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Economists say oil highs will not hit GDP growth as hard as expected - Singapore

Economists say oil highs will not hit GDP growth as hard as expected - Singapore

By Rachel Kelly,

SINGAPORE: With oil prices continuing to push into uncharted territory, economists have been re-looking their growth forecasts for the year.

Some said that GDP growth may be squeezed by as much as half a percentage point, with the transportation sector among the hardest hit by high fuel costs.

US crude futures have new records at above US$128 a barrel supported by fears of supply disruptions in Nigeria and Iran as well as robust demand from China.

Oil prices are now double compared to a year ago, but economists are largely staying positive.

Robert Prior-Wandesforde, Senior Asian Economist, HSBC, said: “Well it’s very easy to get very gloomy at the moment. You’ve got this combination of the US and European problems to a certain extent, and you’ve got the high food and oil prices as well.

“However, we think that the Singapore economy and Asia region in general will actually surprise on the upside for Singapore. We are looking for 6 per cent this year, so (it’s) in the top-end of the government’s range.”

The economy may meet its growth targets for this year, but one sector that is expected to feel the heat is transportation.

Rising fuel prices are eating at the margins. SMRT and ComfortDelgro have registered a drop in earnings for the March quarter and SIA has warned of slower demand amid persistent high fuel prices.

Industry watchers said they expect transport companies to see a decline of about five to 10 per cent in full year net profit from rising oil prices.

Victor Shum, Senior Principal, Purvin & Gertz, said: “The transportation sector will likely be hardest hit, and Singapore Airlines with the consumption of jet fuel will feel the pinch.

“And to a larger extent, businesses can’t fully pass on the cost of higher fuel prices, so businesses will be hard affected.”

Industry watchers said that as investors continue to pour money into the oil markets, prices will tick higher, hitting the US$130 mark by the end of this week. - CNA/vm

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 21 May 2008

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Banks see plunge in Singapore home prices in next two years

Banks see plunge in Singapore home prices in next two years

New homes, rising vacancy rates, unsold condos and fewer rental deals cited as reasons

By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter

THE slowdown in the Singapore housing market has prompted two banks to predict a dramatic plunge in home values in the next two years.
In two starkly bearish reports, Barclays Capital and Credit Suisse have forecast drops of up to 40 per cent in home rents and prices, as demand and supply dynamics move in favour of buyers.

The reports, issued in the last two weeks, pointed to the malign cocktail of a flood of new homes coming on the market, climbing vacancy rates, a rising number of unsold condominiums and fewer rental transactions.

They also raised concerns about the possible dumping of units by speculators. Barclays said that should this happen, private home prices could slide 28 per cent to 30 per cent by 2010.

Credit Suisse predicted a possible 40 per cent drop in rents and prices. Its analysis showed that sub-sale prices recently started to dip at several developments.

Both banks also noted that developers were now more generous with price cuts, stamp duty rebates and agent commissions in an effort to move units. They warned that smaller developers were likely to ‘break’ first.

‘Just six months ago, City Developments and a few others gave zero commissions to agents,’ Credit Suisse said. By March, most were giving 1 per cent to 5 per cent, an increase of three to 10 times in just six months.

‘When Singaporean developers start to reach out to agents with higher commissions, you know they are feeling the pain,’ it said.

The pain is coming from slower growth in home rents and prices, as the effects of the United States sub-prime mortgage crisis takes its toll on market sentiment in Singapore.

Private home prices rose a smaller-than-forecast 3.7 per cent in the first quarter. Even then, Barclays analysts said this could have been boosted by a handful of high-priced transactions and ‘may not reflect the depth of pessimism in the market’.

Sales and launches of new homes also fell sharply last month, extending the slump.

Mr Colin Tan, the head of research and consultancy at Chesterton International, agreed with the Barclays report about a correction in prices.

As more new homes are completed over the next few years, he said, rents will feel the pressure and prices will start to fall.

Not all property analysts, however, have such a gloomy take on the housing sector.

Kim Eng analyst Wilson Liew believes the oversupply situation may be overstated. While there are 32,000 units being built and 42,000 more in the pipeline, current market sentiment could help slow the rate at which the planned units come onstream.

‘It is likely that most of these units would be deferred indefinitely until sentiment returns or when construction resources ease,’ he said.

Developers could also keep lands in their landbank rather than develop them if there is no demand, suggested Macquarie Securities’ head of Asean research, Mr Soong Tuck Yin.

Both he and Mr Liew believe the upcoming integrated resorts will give Singapore a boost and, while there may be a temporary weakness, home prices are unlikely to collapse.

Mr Soong also said developers had stronger balance sheets now than in previous market troughs, and the current low interest rates and high inflation could lead people to buy properties as a hedge against inflation.

The Credit Suisse report, however, said negative real interest rates - often touted as a driver for property purchases - had not historically helped home sales. It also said that even with construction delays, actual completions had usually come in higher than forecast.

Source : Straits Times - 21 May 2008

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Mindy Yong

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Microsoft seeks to buy Yahoo search - BOSTON

Microsoft seeks to buy Yahoo search - BOSTON

BOSTON - MICROSOFT has proposed to buy Yahoo’s search business and take a minority stake in the Web pioneer, stopping short of a full-out merger, a person familiar with the discussions said.
As part of the deal, Yahoo would sell its Asian assets, including significant minority stakes in Yahoo Japan and China’s Alibaba Group, while Microsoft would buy a chunk of what remains of the company, the source said.

The talks were revealed by the two companies on Sunday, but they declined to reveal the terms of the discussions.

Earlier this month, Microsoft walked away from a proposal to acquire Yahoo for US$47.5 billion (S$65.4 billion), or US$33 per share, after Yahoo rebuffed the offer, saying it would settle only for US$37 a share.

The new deal, if completed, would forge an alliance between the two companies that would represent an alternative means of competing with rival Google.

The proposal represents an outline of Microsoft’s current thinking, and it does not yet put a value on Yahoo’s search business, said the source.

Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal estimates Yahoo’s search advertising business is worth US$21 billion, while putting the value of its international assets at US$9.25 billion.

Yahoo is a distant second to Google in Web search in the United States, while Microsoft is third.

Combined, Yahoo and Microsoft would have around a 30 per cent US share, compared with Google’s roughly 60 per cent.

Google’s lead is even larger on a global basis, according to figures from research firm comScore.

The proposal from Microsoft would likely complicate ongoing discussions between Yahoo and Google. The two companies are still talking about a possible search advertising partnership, people familiar with those discussions have told Reuters.

REUTERS

Source : Straits Times - 21 May 2008

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Ma calls on China to resume cross-strait dialogue - TAIPEI

Ma calls on China to resume cross-strait dialogue - TAIPEI

He endorses ‘1992 consensus’ as basis to restart talks as soon as possible

By Ong Hwee Hwee, Taiwan Correspondent

ROUSING START: Mr Ma greeting supporters after delivering his inauguration address in Taipei yesterday. While he boosted hopes of cross-strait detente in his first remarks as Taiwan’s new leader, he also ruled out reunification during his term. — REUTERS

TAIPEI - SETTING the tone for a new era of improved cross-strait ties, Taiwan’s new President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday called on China to resume dialogue ‘at the earliest time possible’.
In his first comments after he was sworn in as the island’s new leader, Mr Ma offered to restart talks under a framework acceptable to Beijing.

His inauguration address - closely watched in Beijing - could boost hopes of a cross-strait detente amid a flurry of contacts between the two sides.

‘I want to reiterate that, based on the ‘1992 consensus’, negotiations should resume at the earliest time possible,’ said Mr Ma, 57.

Echoing recent remarks by Chinese President Hu Jintao, he said: ‘I sincerely hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can seize this historic opportunity to achieve peace and co-prosperity.’

Mr Ma’s endorsement - which suggests his Kuomintang (KMT) government is committed to the ‘1992 consensus’ - could convince Beijing to take ties one step forward.

Mr Hu has indicated recently that both sides could reopen talks by adhering to the ‘consensus’, which refers to a verbal agreement reached between both sides in 1992 that essentially shelved the sovereignty dispute by allowing for different interpretations of the ‘one China’ principle.

The consensus was rejected by former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian who stepped down yesterday after an eight-year term marked by heightened cross- strait tension.

Mr Ma also responded positively to Mr Hu’s recent comments that both sides should strive for a ‘win-win solution’ by ’shelving controversies’.

‘His views are very much in line with our own,’ Mr Ma noted in comments broadcast to mainland Chinese homes via the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV.

His 20-minute speech was punctuated with loud cheers from the 15,000-strong crowd celebrating his inauguration at a Taipei stadium.

Mr Ma also appealed for China’s cooperation in launching weekend charter flights and allowing mainland tourists to travel directly to Taiwan - which he said would ‘launch a new era of cross-strait relations’.

Mr Ma’s credibility is at risk if he fails to accomplish the two goals by early July as promised.

Yesterday, he also expressed condolences to the victims of last week’s massive earthquake in China.

‘All Taiwanese have expressed deep concern and offered immediate emergency assistance…May the reconstruction of the affected area be completed at the earliest time possible,’ he said.

Apart from ties with China, Mr Ma also pledged to strengthen ties with the United States and play the role of a peacemaker in the region.

But his speech was not all music to China’s ears, say analysts.

While pledging not to pursue formal independence for Taiwan, he ruled out reunification during his term.

He also highlighted the sensitive issue of Taiwan’s international space - which he linked to improvements in cross-strait ties.

On the eve of his inauguration, the World Health Organisation’s assembly rejected Taiwan’s bid for observer status for the 12th year in a row.

Beijing is likely to find Mr Ma’s speech ‘acceptable’, say observers.

‘It’s more positive than negative,’ said Professor Lin Chong-pin of Tamkang University.

‘It is clear from his speech that his No. 1 priority is economic development, unlike former president Chen who places sovereignty as his top goal,’ the former vice-defence minister told The Straits Times.

Source : Straits Times - 21 May 2008

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Mindy Yong

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Trade body to boost Singapore-Dutch business

Trade body to boost Singapore-Dutch business

Dutch Chamber of Commerce will facilitate trade, create opportunities

By CHUANG PECK MING

TRADE and investment flows between Singapore and the Netherlands are set to rise following the official opening of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce here on Monday.

Mr Heemskerk: ‘There are many similarities between Singapore and the Netherlands’
‘It will provide a new platform for partnerships between Dutch and Singapore businesses,’ visiting Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Frank Heemskerk told BT in an interview on the same day.

‘It will facilitate trade, create new opportunities and connect businesses with complementary ambitions,’ he told potential Singapore investors here yesterday at an investment seminar hosted by the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.

There are many similarities between Singapore and the Netherlands, noted Mr Heemskerk who also met Singapore Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang yesterday.

‘Our countries are successful open economies,’ he said.

‘We are leading financial and technology hubs in our respective regions. Our port and logistics facilities are among the very best. We both enjoy a reputation for innovation and business savvy.’

He listed three reasons for investing in the Netherlands - it is the gateway to Europe; it is business friendly; and it offers a high quality of life.

He said that the Netherlands has one of the world’s biggest airports and seaports and a ’strong’ harbour which makes it a great European hub for businesses.

‘You can use the Netherlands as your regional headquarters in Europe,’ he said.

The country boasts growth sectors in water management, life sciences and research & development.

Mr Heemskerk also pointed out that it is little known that the Netherlands, with a population of about 16 million people, is the world’s third largest food exporter.

Corporate tax in the Netherlands, at 25.5 per cent, is below Europe’s average rate of around 28 per cent.

And the country offers tax breaks for small and mid-sized firms.

Living costs in the Netherlands are definitely lower than those in London, Mr Heemskerk said.

‘English is spoken not only in the boardrooms but also in bakery shops - and there are excellent international schools,’ he added.

Trade and investment between Europe and Asia have been expanding - and Singapore and the Netherlands are at the core of this boom, according to Mr Heemskerk.

‘Dutch companies like Shell, Philips, AKZO Nobel, DSM and Numico have a solid presence, in part because of Singapore’s strength,’ he said.

Some 15 companies from Singapore are also operating out of the Netherlands, including CordLife in life sciences, Hyflux in water management and eSys in information technology.

According to Singapore’s Department of Statistics, the Netherlands is one of the largest foreign investors in Singapore with $31.7 billion sunk in by end-2005. Singapore’s cumulative investments in the Netherlands came to $1.1 billion.

Trade between Singapore and the Netherlands totalled $13 billion last year, according to International Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government’s trade promotion arm. Singapore exported $8.6 billion while importing $4.4 billion worth of goods.

Key imports from the Netherlands included mineral fuel oil waxes, optical photographic measuring instruments, electrical machinery, plastics and articles.

Among key exports were pharmaceutical products, electrical machinery, organic chemicals, plastics, and articles.

Source : Business Times - 21 May 2008

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Mindy Yong

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