Latitude Condominium Just TOP!!!

Presenting

A Quietly Luxurious  and

Generously Spacious Development 

in District 10

A Prestigious Development

Exuding A Sense of Calmness and Serenity

With Just The Right Touch of Elegance

For more information

about price, floor plans,

and how you can own a unit here,

click here

OR

Call Jarene Chuang

@

(+65) 9431 4139

Bedok Residences is the latest HOT property in Singapore!

Do you know:

On the first day of the launch,

more than 350 units of the 450 units were sold?

 

98.1% of 1 bedroom + study were sold

within the first day (only 2 units were left!)

 

The BEST among all 2 bedroom units were all sold!

 

Even The BEST among all 3 bedrooms

were gone on the first day!

 

2 penthouse units were sold on the first day

(That is usually quite rare)!

 

Find out why many buyers

are flocking to view Bedok Residences &

made the decision ON THE SPOT to invest in one!!!

(Clue: Location! Location! Location!)

Click here to find out why!

 

Suites @ Newton is FOR SALE!!!

Suites @ Newton

is now available

at SPECIAL PREVIEW PRICES!

1-Bedroom only from $1,041,427!
2-Bedroom only from $1,224,853!

Do not to miss such attractive quantum for a Prime D11 property!!!

Prestigious Freehold Development @ D11

1 Surrey Road

By Teambuild Land

 

~~~Newest Launch!~~~

~~~Worth Considering!~~~

Reasonable Quantum!

 Project Information

Location: 

District 11!

1 Surrey Road Singapore 307740

Tenure: 

FREEHOLD!!

Expected TOP: 

31 Dec 2016

Type of Development:

1 Block of 19 Storey Apartments (Total: 67 Units)

with Mechancial Car Parking and Surface Car Parking & Swimming Pool at 2nd Storey

Site Area:

1,346.51 sqm (14,493.19 sqft)

Total No. of Units:

~ 67 Units consisting of

1 Bedrms: 484 to 624 sqft – 21 units

2 Bedrms: 603 to 764 sqft – 43 units

2 Bedrms PH: 1302 to 1324 sqft – 3 units

Presenting….

An Investor’s Dream Location

- Stone throw away

to Novena MRT Station

Freehold!

Nestled among

private residential area

in Newton vicinity.

19-storey development

with exclusive 67 apartment units
in

Modern Contemporary Architecture Design.

Close to shopping centres

like Velocity@Novena Square,

United Square,

Goldhill Shopping Centre

and Chancery Court.

Educational institutions

located nearby include

Anglo-Chinese School (Junior),

Anglo-Chinese School (Pri)

Only 5 minutes from Orchard Road

and

10 minutes from the Central Business District.

Near medical hub

eg Novena Medical Centre,

Thomson Medical Centre

Near reputable schools,

colleges

and International Schools

Easily accessible

to other parts of the island

via PIE, CTE

You Do Not Want to Miss This Opportunity.

Call/SMS Jarene Chuang

@ (+65) 9431 4139 TODAY!!!

HOUSING STRESS: PM struggles to find a rental property – News.com.au 28 Oct 11

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her partner Tim Mathieson need to find an alternative to the Lodge.

PM wants a rental property while the Lodge is being renovated

Security demands making the choice more difficult

One in ten Aussies in housing stress

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard is experiencing Australia’s housing crisis first hand in her search for an alternative home while the Lodge is being renovated.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports Ms Gillard’s office has ruled out a purchase to fill the gap, leaving the first couple to rely on the difficult rental market.

But like many Australians, she is struggling to find a suitable property.

And to make things more difficult, the Australian Federal Police have produced a lengthy list of demands for any prospective home.

Ms Gillard and partner Tim Mathieson need to find a home with a secure entry and car access, live-in accommodation for bodyguards and bulletproof glass.

The Lodge – the traditional home of the prime minister – is in urgent need of a new roof, plumbing upgrades and an overhaul of some dodgy wiring.

It is expected to be a huge project that will reportedly cost millions of dollars and take 18 months to complete.

Fairfax reports the couple ruled out moving into the Governor-General’s Yarralumla residence, with Mr Mathieson calling the home “intimidating”.

According to a recent report, one in 10 Australian households is in housing stress and at risk of financial hardship and poverty.

And renters are most at risk, with 26 per cent in housing stress.

Hobart and Sydney put the tightest squeeze on renters.

Hobart has the highest rate of renters in housing stress at 33 per cent, while Sydney has the highest number with more than 100,000 households facing poverty because of the high cost of renting.

 

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Housing sector ‘making a comeback’ – AAP 02 Nov 11

THE housing sector is set to make a comeback, getting a further boost from yesterday’s interest rate cut, economists say.

Australian residential building approvals fell 13.6 per cent to in September, seasonally adjusted, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Wednesday.

Economists’ forecasts had centred on a five per cent fall in approvals in September.

Approvals for private sector houses in September rose 1.1 per cent and the volatile “dwelling excluding houses” category fell 20.7 per cent.

Nomura chief economist Stephen Roberts said he expected the housing sector to improve in the coming months, especially after yesterday’s interest rate cut.

The Reserve Bank of Australia cut the cash rate from 4.75 per cent to 4.5 per cent and it was followed by by all four major banks cutting their standard variable interest rate.

“Already, we’ve seen housing finance commitments picking up over the last few months,” Mr Roberts said.

“This pattern with interest rates is only going to accelerate it as we go ahead.

“We’ve seem to have gone through the base as far as housing credit is concerned and that will pick up in the next few months, so some of that will come back to home building approvals.”

Mr Roberts said the rise in building approvals was particularly strong in the larger states.

“The interesting part is that is that the house part of it improved a bit and was relatively strong in both NSW and Victoria,” he said.

“The multi occupancy part is really up and down, particularly the public sector part of it.”

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Building approvals fall 13.6 per cent – News.com.au, 02 Nov 11

AUSTRALIAN residential building approvals fell 13.6 per cent to 11,889 units in September, seasonally adjusted.

This compares to a downwardly revised 13,758 units in August.

In the year to September, building approvals were down 12 per cent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Wednesday.

Economists’ forecasts had centred on a five per cent fall in approvals in September.

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S’pore, US among top destinations for rich Chinese migrants – The Straits Times 4 Nov 11

About 60 percent of the rich Chinese people, each of whom has a net asset of at least 60 million yuan (S$12.12 million), said they intended to migrate from China, a report has found.

About 14 per cent of them have either already migrated from China or have applied for migration.

The three most favoured destinations by the Chinese rich are the United States, Canada and Singapore. The US is the first choice of some 40 per cent of the people interviewed, according to a white paper jointly released by Hurun Report and the Bank of China (BOC) on Saturday.

According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the number of Chinese applicants for investment immigration has exceeded applications from any other country or region.

‘Among all the destinations in terms of investment immigration, the US always outstands all other options as the country does not impose any quota,’ said Jiao Lingyan, a client executive of the investment immigration department of the Beijing-based GlobeImmi International Education Consultation Co.

‘The minimum amount required for investment immigration to the US is US$500,000 (S$641,130). But it should be noted that this applies to investments in projects recommended by authorities in the US. People considering these projects should take into account that they may not make profits,’ Mr Jiao said.

‘It is worth noting that the minimum amount for investment immigration will be raised in the coming years, because the number of rich people in China is rapidly growing,’ she said.

While 32 per cent of the interviewees said they have invested overseas with a view to immigrate, half of them said they did so mainly for the sake of their children’s education.

‘A growing number of parents in China have realised that children growing up in the examination-oriented education system in China will find it hard to compete in an increasingly globalised world,’ Mr Zhang said.

Chinese immigrants are also getting younger, with the largest group aged between 25 and 30, compared to the 40-45 age group in the past, Mr Zhang said.

Green Lodge put up for collective sale, EOI at Oxley – Business Times 3 Nov 11

Green Lodge, a freehold development located on Toh Tuck Road, has been put up for collective sale. Separately, an Expression of Interest (EOI) exercise was launched yesterday for 71 and 73 Oxley Rise, a freehold site zoned for ‘commercial and residential’ use.

The Green Lodge site has an asking price that is above $195 million, or about $866 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr). The sale is being conducted through a tender exercise which will close on Dec 8 at 3pm.

The freehold property sits on a land area of about 14,035 square metres (151,075 sq ft). According to the 2008 Master Plan, the site can be redeveloped into a five-storey condominium project at a gross plot ratio of 1.4. Green Lodge currently has an approved density of equivalent plot ratio 1.4896, which means no development charge is payable.

Assuming an average apartment size of 1,000 sq ft and a building efficiency of 90 per cent, the site can accommodate about 210 residential units.

As for the Oxley Rise site, it has a site area of 25,630 sq ft and a gross plot ratio of 4.2 under the 2008 Master Plan.

This means it has the potential to be redeveloped into a new project with a gross floor area of 107,646 sq ft with 20 per cent commercial use and 80 per cent residential use, subject to approval from the relevant authorities.

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Punggol residential site draws top bid from Chinese firm – TODAY 4 Nov 11

A 99-YEAR-LEASEHOLD residential site at Punggol Central/Edgedale Plains drew a top bid of $215.87 million yesterday, or $330 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

Chinese firm Qingjian Realty (South Pacific) Group trumped four other developers to put in the top bid for the site, which measures 218,034.6 sq ft and has a maximum permissible gross floor area of 654,103.9 sq ft. It barely edged out the second-highest bid, by Soilbuild Group Holdings, which came in at $203.888 million, or approximately $312 psf ppr.

The lowest bid came in from Opal Star and Lum Chang Building Contractors, at $290 psf ppr.

The narrow spread of bids indicates developers were more measured in bidding for the site. This could be due to the upcoming supply of around 1,500 private apartments and 700 executive condominiums in Punggol New Town, and the potential slowdown in demand for mass-market homes, in view of economic uncertainties.

While a slowing market may have deterred over-optimistic bidding, the top bid of $330 psf ppr is roughly in line with the $323 psf ppr fetched by the Punggol Field Walk site in September. It shows that tender bids in the Punggol location are holding, although there is lower tender participation today, with five bidders compared to eight in the previous one.

Zuo Haibin, managing director, Qingjian Realty Group, said they are planning for around 650 units of two to four bedrooms. The project should be launched within six to eight months, he added. The breakeven cost to should be around $700 psf.

Units at the nearby 882-unit A Treasure Trove have sold for a median price of $915 psf, based on the 750 units sold since its launch in early September.

 

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Last call for Melbourne Property Investors in Singapore!

Only 4 Units of 1-Bedrooms Left!!!

Presenting One Lygon…

Price:

AUD$420,000 with car park!

Deposit:

10% at point of purchase

+ 10% upon completion!

You only need to put down approximately AUD$42,000 at point of purchase and another AUD$42,000 at upon completion.

Location:

1 Lygon Road, Brunswick, Victoria

- Just 4km to Melbourne CBD

Long Term Growth Trend:

8%!

Approximate Completion:

Jul 2012

You do not want to miss out this opportunity!

Call Jarene Chuang at

(+65) 9431 4139 for more information TODAY!!!

MF Global Singapore to be wound down – The Straits Times, 2 Nov 11

 Anxious investors swarm Singapore office

Summary:

• The Singapore operations of a Wall Street brokerage that has collapsed as a result of the European debt crisis are to be wound down.
• Accountancy giant KPMG has been appointed as the provisional liquidator to oversee the process, the firm MF Global Singapore said last night.
• Its parent, MF Global, filed for bankdruptcy protection in New York on Monday with debts of US$39.7billion (S$49 billion) – the biggest United States casualty of Europe’s crisis.
• According to the MF Global website, the operation here was the fourth largest derivatives trader on the Singapore Exchange, in terms of trading volume in the year ened Mar 2011.
• It employed between 100 and 200 staff, which makes it an average-sized brokerage in Singapore.
• MF Global Singapore had been operating here since 1996
• Customers could trade in over-the-counter markets in foreign exchange, precious metals and equity derivatives including Contracts for Difference (CFDs). CPDs are a type of financial instrument that allows an investor to bet on the movement of an asset, whether a stock , currency or commodity, without actually having to own the asset itself.
• In the statement, MF Global Singapore said: “The provisional liquidation is intended to safeguard the interests of the customers of the company and ensure that the company does not engage in new trades, as well as the equal treatment of all creditors of the company.”
• Winding down of the firm will not affect customer funds already placed in segregated accounts.
• The troubles at the firm have hit customers of at least one other brokerage in Singapore.
• Kim Eng Securities revealed yesterday that MF Global Singapore was its CFD counterparty. This means that the CFDs Kim Eng offered its customers came from MF Global Singapore and were traded using the US firm’s trading platform.
• When MF Global Singapore halted all trading in CFDs yesterday, it meant Kim Eng and its CFD customers were also unable to access their CFD portfolios and excute trades or close out exisiting positions.
• “KE CFD is, however, confident that it will be able to provide alternative market access for our clients tomorrow to unwind their open positions,” the brokerage said in a statement.

 

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Home Sales Unlikely to beat last year’s high – The Straits Times, 1 Nov 11

Summary

• Strong economy first 9 months but global economic uncertainty to take toll
• Sales of new private homes may come close to last year’s record high, but they are unlikely to surpass the figure with global economic uncertainty affecting demand, experts say.
• Homes sales for the first 9 months of this year came in at a slightly more robust 12,301 units compared with 12,051 units in the same period of last year
• Experts say a slower final quarter is likely to leave the final below last year’s tally.
• Developers sold a record-breaking 16,292 homes last year as rock-bottom interest rates and pent-up demand from first-timers and upgraders drove the property market to a new high.
• Low interest rates and a sound local economy should underpin private home buying demand.
• However, the gloomy economic outlook has dampened market sentiment.
• The ongoing economic turmoil in the West will rein in demand to some extent.
• The year-end festive season and school holidays could also sideline potential buyers.
• Other experts noted that though cooling measures have cut demand from speculators and short-term investors, demand from genuine buyers has persisted.
• The 3,604 units sold in the 3 months to Sept 30 was the lowest quarterly figure since the market recovery in mid-2009.
• 13,076 resale and subsale units sold in the first 9 months of this year was also 26 percent lower than the corresponding period last year.
• This year’s total new sales were spurred along by the 143 units sold as at yesterday evening at SIm Lian Group’s Parc Vera in Hougang Avenue 7.
• Units were priced at an average of $800psf. Singaporeans made up 80% of the buyers.

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Laguna Park, Henry Park Apartments up for collective sale – Channel News Asia 31 Oct 11

Laguna Park at Marine Parade Road is up for collective sale with a reserve price of S$1.25 billion.

Together with Henry Park Apartments, which is also up for collective sale at between S$170 million and S$180 million, the total value of properties that have come up for sale in October has hit close to S$5 billion.
Developers are looking at collective sales with some caution now and added that any sale will depend on the attributes of the site and the developer’s risk appetite as well as market sentiment.

Government Land Sales Programme is offering developers many alternative sites.

The 677,493 sq ft Laguna Park site with proximity to the seafront would be a key selling point for any new development. Based on the reserve price, the land price comes to about S$954 per square foot per plot ratio.

Laguna Park was put up for sale earlier this year with a reserve price of S$1.33 billion. But the tender closed without a successful bid.

While the downward revision of the reserve price suggests that sellers might be more motivated to sell now, new requirements for en bloc sales allow a development to be put up for sale for one year only after receiving 80 per cent approval from homeowners. When this lapses, sellers have to seek a new mandate. Within this year, no collective sale has been transacted at over S$200 million yet. Generally, the key will be the land price and quantum.

The 99,000 sq ft Henry Park site, based on its asking price, the land price works out to be S$1,216-S$1,287 per square foot per plot ratio.

Still, analyst does not believe that the slew of collective sale sites will mean land prices will fall. Some sellers may have lowered their asking prices but their reserve price has stayed the same.

Barring the worsening in the global economic situation, the property market here should remain stable.

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Buffet of New Homes – The Straits Times, 31 Oct 11

Summary

• A large supply of mass-market homes is set to enter the market by the end of this year.
• These 99-year leasehold projects are mostly from the flood of suburban state land released by the government over the last year as it attempted to cool robust home-buying demand from first-timers and upgraders.
• At least 5 larger suburban projects are expected to be launched by the end of this year. The total number of units is expected to be approximately 3000 units.
• Far East Organization, CapitaLand, City Developments, UOL Group and Sim Lian Group are just some of the developers that have been gathering interest for their projects recently.
• - Sim Lian’s 452 Par Vara at Hougang Avenue 7 was just launched during the weekend. About 70% of the released units were snapped up by mostly local buyers. They were sold at an average of $800psf – $850psf.
• Experts said developers are eager to quicken their pace of launches over fears of a deteriorating economic outlook.
• They said mass-market projects may also be affected by a fresh batch of sub-urban land supply expected to enter the market.
• The Government Land Sales Programme for the first half of next year is expected to be launched by the end of the year.
• With some recent residential tenders attracting lower bids than sites previously sold in the vicinity, this has also sounded alarm bells for some builders.
• Experts said that pricing will be the key in determining if these slates of mass-market launches do well.
• Although mass-market homes have powered new private home sales since the cooling measures were introduced last January, the question is whether this supply can be absorbed continually.
• New private home sales rose a higher-than-expected 31 percent last month, with buyers snapping up 1,631 units.
• Suburban homes made up 81% of total sales.

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HDB resale flat prices up 3.8% – Channel NewsAsia, 28 October 2011

Summary:

• HDB Resale Prices has increased by 3.8% as compared to the previous quarter
• Resale transactions fell by 10% from 6,581 cases in the second quarter to 5,903 cases in the third quarter.
• Overall increase from Q3 2011 is 11.6%, which is an all-time high, i.e. HDB resale prices has been increasing at an average of almost 3% per quarter.
• Since Q1 this year, the quarterly price increase has accelerated, despite HDB’s largest release of new flats this year and next.
• HDB may have increased the supply of new flats launched and it has attracted many first time buyers who are not in a hurry to buy since there is a waiting time of 3 years.
• Demand in the resale market is strong and continues to be strong because it is coming from first-timers and families that have immediate housing needs, singles, PRs, up-graders and down-graders. These buyers make up almost 80 per cent of the resale market.
• On the supply side, the crunch in the resale market continues to cause prices to go up, and this is worsened by the mindset that sellers add on a cash-over-valuation (COV) component despite increasing valuations. They are able to do this as supply is tight and demand is strong.
• Weakened resale transaction volumes is expected by ERA not solely because more buyers have crossed over to the BTO (build-to-order) market. The lack of supply and high prices have made it more difficult to conclude deals.
• HDB will launch 4,200 BTO flats for sale in various towns such as Bedok, Bukit Panjang, Hougang, Punggol and Yishun next month.
• Including units sold under the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) Exercise in September 2011, HDB’s total flat supply for 2011 will be 28,000 units.
• For 2012, prospective flat buyers can look forward to another 25,000 BTO flats. HDB said more details on that will be given at the launch.
• One reason that the housing supply is tight is that some of the current policies do not incentivise HDB owners to sell.
• A 2003 rule allowing them to rent out their flat, has prompted upgraders to move to a private apartment while keeping their HDB for rental income. And last August, restrictions on dual home ownership meant that those who already own a private home and a HDB flat, were even more reluctant to sell their unit. High rentals have also encouraged owners to hang on to their flats.

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URA Released Real Estate Statistics for 3rd Quarter 2011

Check out my analysis of the data released! Please click on the picture below to enlarge the font size!

Have Property, May Not Profit – Sunday Times, 16 Oct 11, Invest Section, Page 37

Last Sunday, there was an interesting article about investing in property market in Singapore: Have property, may not profit – Sunday Times, 16 Oct 11, Invest Section, Page 37

In this article, the author, Mr Goh mentioned that he had met up with some old friends who are property investors, and they were musing about their property investments in Singapore. His conclusions were that:

1. Making money from the property market is not as easy as it seems.
2. The local property market is like a roller coaster ride.
3. It’s about the timing: like the stock market, the property market moves in cycles and if you are caught in the wrong end of the cycle, it may take years before you see the price you paid for that dream home again.
4. Sometimes, on paper, it would seem like a hefty gain is made on your property but after deducting the interest paid on the mortgage and the sums spent over the years on repairs and maintenance, the returns does not seem to be a risk worth taking, considering the large outlay involved.
5. During bad times, condo rentals can plunge so badly that it was uneconomical for owners to let out the unit.
6. Getting into property investment is far easier than getting out of it.

How true are these statements?

How to minimize the risk of investing in property?

Find out more by registering here.

According to Sunday Times on 9th Oct 2011, PM Lee said that Singapore’s housing market should stabilize in 4 years. What does it mean to you?

 What does stabilizing means?

A stabilizing property market does not mean that the property prices will drop or remain constant. It just simply implies that property prices will climb at a steady, constant pace.

What is driving the property market?

One word can sum it all. FEAR.

With reports on many foreigners coming into Singapore to invest in properties, and stories of how affluent Chinese from China coming into Singapore and sweeping the property market effortlessly, it has caused many people to feel afraid that they might lose out. And whenever there is a report that the property market had slowed down due to a lower percentage rise in resale prices, many people rush in to buy.

PM Lee was implying mainly about the HDB property market. He mentioned that HDB is working building more HDB properties to meet the demand for HDB properties. How does it affect the private property market?

All things constant, it should lead to a stabilizing effect on private property market as well. There will probably be short periods of time where HDB property market is not moving, but private property market is moving and vice versa. This will be due to new buyers (buying for their own usage) buying the more value-for-money properties at that moment in time. Whenever private property prices are deemed as too expensive, these buyers will switch back to buying HDB properties again and vice-versa.

With the “new average” combined income of $10,000 per month, there will be price resistance whenever property prices cross the $1 – $1.2 million mark. Developers know this – hence, the existence of Mickey Mouse apartments. I would expect new developments …..

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Part 5: Finding the correct market suitable for your investing style

Many a times, investors prefer to invest in their country of residence or birth. After looking part 1, 2, 3, and 4, it is now time to use the information that you have gathered to decide on where you are suitable to invest in your country of residence or birth.

Why do I emphasize more on investing according to your investing style?

Because Type A and Type B investors have totally different personalities. Asking Type A to emulate Type B and vice versa, is definitely going to result in disastrous outcomes. It’s akin to trying to make  a square peg fit a round hole.

Let us face it. Do we really think that we are as logical as we like to think we are? In all my years of experiences in selling properties, buyers can have many reasons why they do not want to buy a property but they only need ONE reason to BUY a property. All my investors use logical reasons to explain their illogical feelings. That is why no matter how logical, how right, how filial it seems, as long as your kids do not feel like helping you with the housework, they will not do it.

Let’s use an example. Imagine that the property market is more suitable for quick profits. This type of market is very suitable for Type A investors. In this market, properties have to be sold quickly. Decisions have to be made quickly. A Type A investor is probably one who can make decisions quickly (since he has already unconsciously done his “homework”), and can handle the stress level. He will probably do well in this market since to him, it is not stressful at all. In fact, it is exciting to him.

To a Type B investor, this type of stress is hell to him. It’s not that he can’t make the decision quickly, it’s just that he does not have sufficient information to  make a quick decision (he doesn’t do his “homework” as often as Type A investor probably because his work, and lifestyle does not allow him to. Typically, these investors have young children or run businesses that require their constant attention and would prefer to take a more hands-off approach to investing in properties). And he doesn’t really like to sell a property. He likes to keep the property, he likes to count how many properties he has, rather than how much money he makes. He needs a lot of good reasons to sell the property but in this particular market that favours Type A investors, by the time he makes the decision, the steam has run out. The buyers are all gone, and now, he is stuck wondering why. As time goes on, he is forced to lower his price and in the end, he does not make as much money as Type A investors. In the end, he swore that he will never invest in property again and just because he was investing in the wrong market for himself.

On the other hand, a market where property market is more suitable for accumulating a portfolio of properties requires a different approach. This type of market is very suitable for Type B investors. In this market, many properties are bought over a period of time, and various strategies are used to minimize tax. Type B investors generally are comfortable being a landlord and know the benefits of paying for the services of a tax agent and property manager to manage their property portfolio. As time goes by, they eventually sell off a few properties to pay off their mortgage loan, and eventually enjoy a positive cash flow in their property portfolio. They are aware that the property prices will increase gradually and they are comfortable with it because they want to keep the property and have no intention of selling it. Because it is suitable to the lifestyle and personality of Type B investors, they will do very well in this type of property market.

On the other hand, a Type A investor will do terribly in this market. They do not have the patience for it. They do not like to be a landlord and they find it a hassle. They do not have the patience to understand the tax laws, and some of them might not even want to pay for a tax agent or property manager. The property becomes very poorly managed and they might even have tenants who were so fed-up that they damage the property. Because the property value rises very slowly, Type A investors get even more impatient. In the end, out of frustration, they decided to sell their properties, and swear once again, that they will never invest in property again.

 What you need to know, is what your natural reaction will be. Sure, you can change from Type A to Type B along the way, but it will be a gradual change, not an immediate change. That is known as your personal growth, being able to handle situations that you were not able to previously. But changing overnight, that has never happened. When a person is forced to change, he will simply retreat to his natural state of being. It is a very normal reaction. Hence, you need to know your investing style and be comfortable with it. There is no need to compare with others because they are not in your situation and vice versa. And it’s simply none of your business! You can learn from them, but don’t compare yourself with others. 

Hence, there is no point in investing in your country of residence, or birth, if your investing style doesn’t match.

Once you have identified the market that you are suited to invest it, do understand the procedures of investing before you start. After that, find a reliable realtor and you are good to go!

[End of Part 5: Finding the correct market suitable for your investing style]

[Click here to go back to Part 1: Introduction]

[Click here to go back Part 2: Knowing Your Investing Style]

[Click here to go back to Part 3: Knowing what and where your priorities are]

[Click here to go to Part 4: Knowing, and understanding the characteristics of the property market that you are interested in]

Part 4: Knowing, and understanding the characteristics of the property market that you are interested in

Knowing and understand the characteristics of the property market will help you decide whether you want to invest in the property market.

Find out about the following:

1. What is the rental yield? – This will determine as a general rule of thumb how much you can rent out your property.
2. What is the interest rate?
3. Historically, what has been the exchange rate if you are investing in international properties?
4. Who rents? Locals or foreigners? What is the proportion? – This will determine how vulnerable your property is to the economic cycles. For e.g. if more foreigners rent, during the downside of the economy, generally, most foreigners would be the first to leave, hence, affect your rent.
5. What are the vacancy rates for the past 5 years or more? – The more information you can get for this, the better, so that you will know how healthy the property market is during the downturn of the economic cycle.
6. What is the demand and supply of properties in that country? Naturally, if the supply is tight, the demand will be higher.
7. How established are the property laws on rentals? – The more established, the better it is for the landlord and tenants.
8. Is the government stable? – This will in turn affect the economy of the country.
9. How do the government control the property prices? A market that is more easily controlled by the government will be subjected to more fluctuations in the property prices.
10. What are the aims of the government policies? Are they aimed at preventing buyers from buying (long term or short term), or preventing the sellers from selling (long term or short term)?
11. What is the mentality of a mid-range investor? Are they more individualistic or more of like a herd-mentality? – This determines how level-headed a typical investor is. The more level-headed they are, the more stable in property prices.
12. Listen to a typical investor. Do they talk more about make profits in the shortest time frame? Or do they talk about how many properties they acquire?
13. Talk to at least 5 – 10 property agents. Do they invest in properties for long-term profit? Or do they prefer to make short-term profits in the shortest time? What is their rationale? If the property market is healthy and stable, most property agents would invest in properties as their income will be stable. However, if the property market is subjected to fluctuations, most property agents would not invest in properties as their incomes are not stable and they would rather make short-term profits, than to subject themselves to the risk of property ownership.

Some of the information can be obtained from realtors. However, not many is curious enough to take the time and effort to study the trends of the property market (well, maybe except for me). Among those who are curious enough, they will only reveal the information to their long-time clients. After all these are precious information that they had spent time gathering. Hence, most of the time, you may have to do the work yourself. The information is always available. However, without statistical training, knowing the information doesn’t mean that you can interpret it into useful information.

You may notice that I didn’t include information like the GDP, the size and prospects of economy of the country. I’m sure I didn’t need to mention that one shouldn’t invest in a country that doesn’t have a stable government and economy!

Look out for tomorrow’s post on Part 5: Finding the correct market suitable for your investing style!

[End of Part 4: Knowing, and understanding the characteristics of the property market that you are interested in]

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Part 3: Knowing what and where your priorities are

Property investing is a long-term plan, aimed at wealth accumulation.

Money is just a method of keeping score. Let us not forget why money was created in the first place. Money is just printed paper, with a value that everyone agrees upon at that point in time. It was created to be used as a form of payment that is convenient in exchanged for better wealth vehicles or other services. In the olden days, barter trade was done: you use 10 pigs in exchange for 5 bags of rice. Or maybe 200 pigs were exchanged for a property. Imagine the difficulties of driving 200 pigs to the new owner. And the owner may not know what to do with it! Hence, money was invented!

Here’s the thing: so, you have made $x amount of money. What happens next? It is what you DO WITH THE MONEY that is important, and NOT how much more money you have with your friends. At the end of the day, you may not really know what your friends are experiencing and vice-versa. Maybe your friends are more motivated than you due to some personal reasons that you are not aware of. After all, you may not know your friends as well as you think. And truth to be told, how much money your friends make is really none of your business. If you think about it, you are certainly not going to use it, so why fret about it? Just focus on your own life and family!

Many of us started out with investing for ourselves (so that we have some cash flow when we retire for our daily expenditures, travels, and medical expenses. Naturally, we would prefer to be as independent as possible for as long as possible.), for our children (for their university fees, as a backup plan for them), and for our parents (so that it will be easier for us to take care of them). Somewhere along the lines, we got too caught up with being afraid to lose out.

This is especially apparent when Type A and Type B investors are having a discussion on property investing. As I mentioned, these 2 types of personality do not mix well. So, whenever a Type B investors tells a Type A investor about how many properties he has and the Type A investor most probably feel a rush of competitiveness, a feeling of fear of losing to his old friend. On the other hand, when a type A investor happily shares with a Type B investor about how much money he made within a short time frame, he will most of the time feel a sense of rush to sell his properties, or he will wonder whether it is the right thing to do by holding on to his property. 

Hence, knowing why and who are you investing for, helps you focus on your goals. Many investors forgot why they are investing. They got caught up in the I-must-not-lose-out-to-my-friends game. Re-look into why you got into investing in the first place! Perhaps you are investing for your family. Make sure you have a picture of your family in your wallet or handbag. Whenever you lose your focus, tap your wallet. Use it as a reminder to focus on your goals. You may also be investing for your round-the-world trip with your spouse when both of you retire. Take a world map and use stickers to mark the places you want to visit. Use your own creativity to focus on your goals. And you need not share this with anyone so it can be whatever you want it to be! You might even want to share your dream with your children!

[End of Part 3: Knowing what and where your priorities are]

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Part 2: Knowing Your Investing Style

Your investing style is partly influenced by your holding capacity, but mostly influenced by your investing EQ towards property.

What is holding capacity?

In any economy, there are always upturns and downturns. It is during the downturn that everyone should be more mindful of.

During the downturn of the economy, jobs are lost and businesses are slow. The tenant (especially if it is a foreigner), might have to leave the country. If one is forced to sell the property during an economic downturn, it is not surprising for him to make a loss. Hence, your holding capacity is your ability to hang on to your property if there is no rental for 8 – 12 months on top of your personal and family expenditures.

What is your investing EQ on property investing?

Do you prefer to invest quickly, make a certain amount of profit in a short time (within a few months – 1 year or 3 years), and get out of the property market quickly (Type A)? Generally, you do not like to hold on to a property due to the hassle of being a landlord. Also, you like to make money, rather than holding on to the property. Your concern is how much money you can make out of the property in the shortest time frame possible. Sometimes, you might be afraid to hold on to the property because of the financial commitments that you have, or simply, you just prefer to have as little financial commitments as possible.  

Do you prefer to hold the property indefinitely so that it can generate residual income for you, and you can leave it behind to your children (Type B)? Generally, you prefer to hold on to the property indefinitely so that it can generate residual income for you. You are comfortable with being a landlord, and are aware of what your responsibilities are as a landlord. You know the importance of having a tax agent and property manager (if you are investing in Australian’s properties) to manage your property portfolio and your taxes.

As a general rule of thumb, these 2 types of investors do not get along. Type A investors will bring up the fear of losing out in Type B especially during boom times because Type A investors will be making massive profits. And Type B investors will bring out the competitiveness, and worry warts of Type A investors who will realized that all they have is cash and they do not have any properties that will generate long-term residual incomes.

However, if Type A investors tries to invest the way Type B invests, he will become impatient, and get frustrated with the speed of making the profits, and also the responsibilities of being a landlord (sometimes, to the extent of becoming a landlord from hell). On the other hand, if Type B investors tries to invest the way Type A invests, it is either he misses the boat or he will become very stressed over making profits through selling the properties quickly (some of them might even have nightmares).

I think the best way is to be comfortable with your investing style. Type A and Type B will do well to learn from each other. But unless they can find a way to reconcile with their totally different styles of investing, just stick to their style and be comfortable with it.

[End of Part 2: Knowing Your Investing Style]

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How to Invest in Properties And Sleep Soundly At Night

It is not easy to predict where the property market is going, whether it is in Singapore or Australia.

Not even the property market “experts” can do it accurately. Why is that so?

Actually, the reason is simple. It is because what property market experts do, is to crunch the numbers. They do not have a “feel” of the consumers who are actually investing or selling their properties. They generally talk about the possible reactions and moves of the consumers.

On the other hand, realtors on the other hand, because they are constantly talking to their clients, are in a better position to know what ARE their demands and expectations. But they do not have the actual numbers to support their opinions of where the market is going.

 So, predicting where the property market is going is actually an art of combining the science of numbers and the knowing of what most investors and property owners are going to do, or will be doing. Note that it is not a prediction of the investors, and property owners’ reactions. Instead, it is the knowledge of what most investors are feeling, and what they will be doing in response to the property market, and it is gained through interactions with them.

Why is knowing the feelings of investors and property owners important?

It is because in property investing, it is STILL the emotions that rule the day, NOT the logic. The property market is driven more by sentiments. Most investors simply JUSTIFY their illogical choices using LOGICAL explanations.

In property investing, there are 4 parts that all investors must be aware of:

1. Knowing your investing style
2. Knowing what your priorities are.
3. Knowing, and understanding the characteristics of the property market that you are interested in
4. Finding the correct market suitable for your investing style (and if it is not in your country of residence, you must find the market that is suitable for you).

With full awareness, the investors can invest in properties successfully!

[End of Part 1: Introduction]

[Click here to go to Part 2: Knowing Your Investing Style]

 [Click here to go to Part 3: Knowing what and where your priorities are]

[Click here to go to Part 4: Knowing, and understanding the characteristics of the property market that you are interested in]

[Click here to go to Part 5: Finding the correct market suitable for your investing style]

Latest Australia’s Melbourne Apartments Available for Investors in Singapore! Only 3.5km away from Melbourne CBD!

 

This new development is located along Victoria Street in Abbortsford (click here for location), one of the most popular suburbs in Melbourne at a short tram ride of 3.5km away from Melbourne CBD.

Whether you need to do some grocery shopping, require some banking services, or have some fashion emergencies, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre is just across the road. You can find Ikea is there too, for your favourite Swedish meatballs! Yarra River and Studley Park for nature enthusiasts are located at walking distance from this development.

Expected commencement of construction is in June 2011. Since this development shall be purchased off-the-plan, potential investors will enjoy substantial savings from stamp duties should they invest before construction begins. It is expected to be completed in mid 2013.

Comparative Rental of surrounding areas: $350 – $370 AUD / week (based on Apr 2011 on surrounding areas)

Abbortsford is popular among professionals, young couples and singles. Being just the right distance away from CBD, with ample facilities, and yet close to nature, it is the ideal living place for a start-up family and young professionals – your ideal tenants.

Deposit required: 10% for initial deposit +10% upon settlement

Prices start from $439,000 AUD for a single bedroom unit with car park.

The number of single bedroom units with car park is limited!

Interested parties, please call me at (+65) 9431 4139 for more details.

The Importance of Tax Agent and Property Manager when investing in Australian properties from abroad

Here I go again, I thought wryly. Who is the idiot who invented giving things for free when there is an unseen cost to it?

I was meeting a client, explaining to him about property investing in Melbourne. There are certainly many differences between investing a property in Melbourne and Singapore. But one question that is constantly asked is: If I pay for property management (to a property manager) and tax management (to a tax agent), doesn’t it increase my cost of owning the property? Can I ask my friend who is staying in Melbourne to do it for me to save costs?

Quality products do not come cheap. Cheap products are never good.

I have never believed in free things. Quality products do not come cheap. Cheap products are never good. I had a reply to that before. Someone told me that hawker food is cheap and good. Not neccessarily so, I replied. When we go to a restaurant, we are not just paying for the food: we are paying for the ambience, the lighting, the comfort, the cool air, and the pleasure of being served. All these come with a price. If we do not or unwilling to pay for the cost, the restaurants would just close down. And we will not be able to enjoy it anymore. Hawker food is cheap precisely because their cost of operation is low!

Would you work for your boss if today, he tells you he will only pay 50% of your income?

Something or even some knowledge that anyone has spent time and effort is doing,  making or researching, has to be paid accordingly. If he isn’t paid accordingly, he will not be able to sustain his life. Who doesn’t have a family to feed, children to raise, parents to look after or even other responsibilities? Or, let’s put it this way.  If your boss asked you to work for half of your income, would you do it? Or would you agree to it, but spend 50% of the time surfing the internet, or selling and buying your shares? Isn’t it a natural response if you are not paid accordingly for YOUR services rendered? If so, why would you do the same to another person?

The Value of a Tax Agent and Property Manager

I think at the end of the day, it is the value of having a tax agent, a property manager or even a surveyor that some of my clients seem to be missing out. For example, the value of having a tax agent is tremendous: he basically helps the owner save money by providing services to his clients regarding liabilities and entitlements under taxation laws. He advises clients or represents them in dealing with the Commissioner of Taxation. He also prepares tax documents and lodges them for assessment, determination, notice or decision. In this way, he makes sure that your tax is correctly paid and all your deductions are correct. If you tried to do this yourself, you may missed out some tiny detail, or you didn’t know that you can claim for this deduction so you might be taxed more due to a larger taxable income.

A property manager helps you with your rental. If your tenant decided to break lease, he will help you to get the next tenant quickly. He monitors the rental around your property, so that if it increases, you will know and decide whether you want to increase the rental (sometimes, you may not want to increase it if you have a very good tenant). Don’t you think all these services needs to be paid accordingly?

The Right to Demand

The most important thing about paying for services is this: if you pay for a services, you have a right to demand or ask for services. If you are not paying for the services, you do not have the right to demand. The ladies would know of this: when you have free samples for your cosmetics, how many can you ask for? Only 1, isn’t it? And the amount is so little, it’s barely enough for you to use, isn’t it?

Asking your relative to manage your property in another country, is the same thing! Your relative is probably busy working. Will he have the time to monitor the rental rates? Will he have the time to travel to your property (let’s not forget that Melbourne is much, much bigger than Singapore!) When tenants break lease unexpectedly, will he know what to do? Well, since you are not paying him to manage your property, then, you can’t really demand much from him, isn’t it?

Vast Difference between Fundamentally refusing to pay VS Inquiring about the Price of Services.

Someone who is asking for the price of these services knows the value of these services. Basically, he just wants to compare the prices, and input these figures as part of the cost of investing a property.

A person who fundamentally refuses to pay for these services might not even have the means to pay for the monthly instalments. Hence, he is just trying to cut the cost of ownership to a price that he is comfortable with. Sometimes, these people do not even have the recommended emergency funds set aside for investing in a property investing (it is 8 – 10 months of the monthly instalment for the property. Naturally, the more properties one invest in, the more funds one will have to set aside.).

To these clients, maybe you are just not ready to invest in property – it might be insufficient knowledge, finances and many other reasons.

How do I know that I am ready to invest in property?

You will know whether you are comfortable to invest in properties: You are excited, willing to pay for the necessary services, did your calculations etc. Generally, you feel good about investing.

How do I know that I am not ready to invest in property?

You will know. 

Your instincts will tell you.

You feel uneasy and nervous.

However, you have to ask yourself, honestly and truthfully, why you are uneasy. Asked yourself whether it is just unfounded fears or genuine fears? Are you:

• afraid of the risks of property investing? (Not a genuine fear because all investments are subjected to some risks and property investing is the safest investment. The return for property investing is a long term process. Hence, one must ensure that one has calculated his sums properly before investing.)
• afraid that you are not able to keep up with the monthly instalments? (Genuine fear. Hence, financial calculations must be done before investing in properties.)
• afraid that you make the wrong choice? (Not a genuine fear.There is no such thing as a perfect choice. There is pros and cons. It is through knowing clearly what you want for your children, your parents, your spouse and yourself, that you can make the right decision. Know that for every investment, there is a risk. Ask yourself: can you manage the risk? If you can, then go ahead. If you cannot, then you will have to let it go. After that, be at peace with your decision.)

So, if you are feeling uneasy, ask yourself  why and find the reasons behind the uneasiness. One of my clients felt uneasy about investing in Melbourne because she was afraid that the floods will damage her property, until I reminded her that Melbourne is 8,800 sqkm and the flood was not in Melbourne CBD!

So, not wanting to pay for services, is just a cover-up for your genuine or unfounded fears!

Summary of URA’s New Regulations on Singapore Property Market

The recent measures on 14 Jan 2011 imposed by the Singapore government had taken to ensure that the property market is sustainable has been pretty drastic.  Check out the new regulations here.

 

A Summary of URA’s regulations:

1. Holding Period for Seller’s Stamp Duties from 3 years to 4 years

2. Seller’s Stamp Duties imposed on properties bought after 14 Jan 2011:

- properties that are sold within:

• 0 – 1st Year of Purchase: 16% of selling price
• 1st – 2nd Year of Purchase: 12% of selling price
• 2nd – 3rd Year of Purchase: 8% of selling price
• 3rd – 4th Year of Purchase: 4% of selling price
• after 4th Year of Purchase: 0%

 

3. Loan to Value (LTV) limit on housing loan granted by financial institutions regulated by MAS for residential property purchasers who are not individuals is lowered to 50%.

“With effect from 14 January 20117, an LTV limit of 50% will apply to all residential property purchasers who are not individuals. This includes corporations, trusts and collective investment schemes, among others. The 50% LTV limit for housing loans will also apply to joint property purchases by an individual and a purchaser who is not an individual.

‘Purchasers who are not individuals’ refer to purchasers who are not natural persons.  These include but are not limited to corporations, trusts and collective investment schemes.

The 50% LTV limit will apply to transactions where the date on which the option to purchase (OTP) was granted falls on or after 14 January 2011; or if there is no OTP, where the date of the Sale & Purchase agreement falls on or after 14 January 2011. ” Source: URA

4. LTV limit on housing loans granted by financial institutions regulated by MAS lowered from the current 70% to 60% for residential property purchasers who are individuals with one or more outstanding housing loans at the time of the new housing purchase.

- effective from 14 Jan 2011

- for borrowers who are individuals and have one or more outstanding housing loans (whether from HDB or a financial institution regulated by MAS) at the time of applying for a housing loan for the new property purchase.

However , for housing loans granted by financial institutions for private residential properties, Executive Condominiums, HUDC flats and HDB flats (including DBSS flats):

- borrowers who can show evidence that they have sold their existing properties will not be subject to the lower LTV limit when they buy a new property.

- If existing property is a private property, he can show a signed Sale & Purchase (S&P) agreement with the IRAS certificate showing that stamp duty has been paid on it.

- If the existing property is a HDB flat, he can show HDB’s approval letter to sell the flat, that HDB will issue within 2 weeks of the First Appointment.

- These borrowers will still be able to borrow at an 80% LTV from financial institutions.

- Borrowers without any outstanding housing loans continue to have a LTV cap of 80%.

 

Loans granted by HDB for HDB flats (including DBSS flats) will still have a LTV cap of 90%.

- HDB loans are offered to eligible Singapore citizens buying their first homes or right-sizing their flats to meet their housing needs.

- HDB loan applicants are required to utilise all the balance in their CPF Ordinary Account before HDB loans will be granted.

- Those taking a second concessionary HDB loan must use the CPF refund and 50% of the cash proceeds from the sale of their previous flat before they are granted an HDB loan.

- This is to ensure that eligible buyers, especially first-time buyers, purchase public housing in a financially prudent manner.

 

Additional Information:

1. The date of purchase for computation of the holding period for SSD shall be the date when a buyer (i.e. Buyer A) exercises the option to purchase the property, or signs the sale and purchase agreement, whichever is earlier. The date of sale of the property shall be the date when the subsequent buyer (i.e. Buyer B) exercises the option to purchase the property from Buyer A, or signs the sale and purchase agreement, whichever is earlier.
2. SSD is to be paid within 14 days of the execution of the Agreement (i.e. exercise of Option or signing of Agreement). If the Agreement is executed overseas, upon receipt of the Agreement in Singapore, the SSD must be paid within 30 days.
3. The 50% LTV limit will apply to transactions where the date on which the option to purchase (OTP) was granted falls on or after 14 January 2011; or if there is no OTP, where the date of the Sale & Purchase agreement falls on or after 14 January 2011.
4. The 60% LTV limit will apply to transactions where the date on which the option to purchase (OTP) was granted falls on or after 14 January 2011; or if there is no OTP, where the date of the Sale & Purchase agreement falls on or after 14 January 2011. 

 

Source: URA

One man’s panic is another’s bargain…

Business Times – 15 Aug 2008

CDL chief points to some good buys as panic-sellers offload, but he’s not alarmed

(SINGAPORE) City Developments Ltd (CDL) executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng yesterday acknowledged that there have been some cases of high-end property buyers resorting to panicselling in the secondary market. These are people who’d bought their units during the early stages of the property boom ‘It is not as alarming as what some people think. Just bear in mind, because of a couple of transactions, these few swallows do not make a summer,’ he told analysts and journalists at a briefing to announce CDL’s second quarter results.
In some cases, these desperate sellers are offloading their units at prices that may be 20-30 per cent
below current market values, providing attractive bargains for astute property investors, Mr Kwek
said.

‘There are what I call bargains because some buyers, towards Temporary Occupation Permit or even
before TOP, just want to get out as long as they make $100 psf profit. ‘As an example, there were some projects launched at $2,200 psf. Then (the price) went up to $3,400-3,500 psf. Today there are some people who have gotten so frightened, they will sell off at $1,700 psf. That is the time, if you are smart enough, you can pick up (a bargain)! Buying property is not short term. Buying property is medium to longer term.’
High-end home prices are in a period of consolidation after a sharp escalation. ‘What has gone up in
a straight line will also come down,’ as Mr Kwek put it.
‘My key advice to you is as long as you can service your instalment and with the (current) cost of
construction so high, how can you be worse off than during the bad times in ’96 and ’97? If you are
smart enough to pick up (a property) when some people want to commit suicide, you just pick (it) up
cheap – keep it, rent it, stay – there’s your chance.’

Saying he was not too worried about the current consolidation, he added: ‘This is the time you should
buy. This is not the time you should get out, unless of course circumstances dictate that you should
get out.’

Regaling his audience with an anecdote, Mr Kwek said: ‘For example, The Sail @ Marina Bay, we
started selling at $900 psf, and the price went up to $3,000 psf-plus. The other day, somebody told
me that his friend, a broker, said there’s one unit, ninth floor, $1,800 psf. He asked me: ‘Do you want
to buy?’ I said: ‘Which unit? I want to check. I am going for a meeting. When I come back, we’ll talk
about it.’ By the time I came back, the whole thing was gone.’

The high-end residential sector will recover ‘when the sub-prime crisis is over and the integrated
resorts are in operation’, Mr Kwek said. ‘You’ll have a lot of high rollers coming in. They come in, they
like Singapore – very clean, things get done. We have a lot of (positive) attributes but we’re always
taking them for granted.’

Mr Kwek, who is also chairman and managing director of Hong Leong Finance, said that although ‘we
don’t have Freddie Mac and Frannie Mae’ here, Asia will be hit to some extent by the sub-prime crisis.
‘However, our banks are well capitalised. Monetary Authority of Singapore is monitoring closely.’
He also recalled Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan’s comments that ‘they don’t want to
see property prices going (up) in a straight line nor do they want to see it going down in a straight line.
So I am confident they are monitoring the whole situation’.

Much of CDL’s land bank, even in the high-end, was acquired at relatively cheap cost. ‘As an
example, for the Lucky Tower site (at Grange Road), if I were to launch my project tomorrow at
$2,500-$2,600 psf, I can still make very healthy profit compared to Cliveden (nearby) which we sold at
$3,750 psf. It’s a question of whether I want to let go at $2,500 psf or whether I should keep it.

‘Don’t forget if you go ahead and construct, you incur two sets of interest costs – on land and
construction. By the time the market improves, the (unit) sizes and the design may be outdated, so
you cannot maximise the profit from that. It’s better to keep the land and wait for a better opportunity
before you sell.

‘I’m sure some (other) developers feel the same way. I will guarantee you many of these people will
not go ahead with construction,’ Mr Kwek said.

CDL, in its results statement, also cited other reasons why a feared oversupply of new private home
completions may not materialise. Tight bank financing is making developers more cautious in their
land purchases. The sharp hike in construction costs means developers who delay their launches
may hold back their construction plans as well. Given tight construction resources, contractors may
continue to find it hard to complete projects on schedule.

Just one bid for Tampines condo site

Straits Times
Aug 13, 2008

THE property slowdown was clear for all to see yesterday when the tender for a condo site overlooking Bedok Reservoir closed with just one bid – and at a price well below expectations.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will likely refuse to award the 3.2ha site, given the poor offer, consultants said.

Boon Keng Development bid $84.6 million, or $118 per sq ft (psf), for the 99-year leasehold site but consultants had expected anything from $150 to $230 psf.

Apartments on the site could sell for up to $700 psf, they said.

If Boon Keng does secure the site at the junction of Tampines Avenues 1 and 10, its break-even would be about $480 to $500 psf. It would then be able to sell the apartments for around $600 psf, said Knight Frank’s director of research and consultancy, Mr Nicholas Mak. But he does not expect the URA to sell the land at such a low price.
The increasingly cautious mood among developers explains why the site drew only one bid.

‘If this site was not on the confirmed list, it may not be triggered for tender,’ said Mr Mak.

Confirmed list sites are tendered out at pre-determined dates regardless of whether developers have shown interest.

‘If confirmed list sites were launched for tender in an increasingly uncertain market, they would attract opportunistic bids, such as the one we witnessed today,’ said Mr Mak.

Savills Singapore’s director of business development and marketing, Mr Ku Swee Yong, who had tipped bids of $150 to $180 psf for the site, said: ‘Most developers have ample land, so unless a choice plot is available, they won’t bid.’

Rising building costs are forcing developers to look for cheaper land. In such a climate, the Government has to decide whether to lower reserve prices to ensure a steady supply of mass-market private housing, or maintain the value of plots on the sales list as they form part of the nation’s reserve, said Mr Mak.

He does not expect any residential site on the government sales list to be triggered for tender unless reserve prices are lowered. If not, there could be a sharp drop in the sale of residential land from the Government this year.
Singapore tenders out land on the reserve list if developers indicate interest by committing to a minimum bid acceptable to them.

MTI expects a lingering slowdown, sluggish rebound

Business Times – 12 Aug 2008

Price fears ease but Q2 growth down to 2.1% on pharma swings and electronic weakness

(SINGAPORE) Concern here over price pressures will likely take a back seat to growth risks in the
months ahead, as global inflation looks to be peaking but no quick economic rebound is expected
anytime soon in the major economies.
A senior Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) official yesterday described the Singapore economy -
which grew just 2.1 per cent in the second quarter – as being in a ‘stretched-U’ slowdown, with
sluggish growth and probably no pickup for a while.

The Q2 growth – slowest in five quarters – brings GDP growth in the first half to 4.5 per cent, which
also happens to be the midpoint of the newly-downgraded 2008 growth forecast of 4-5 per cent. This
has been narrowed from an earlier estimate of 4-6 per cent.

With weak external demand, the 2008 forecast for Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) has
also been slashed – by six percentage points. From growing 2-4 per cent this year, NODX are now
expected to fall by that range. It would be the first contraction in the key trade indicator since 2001.
But ‘this is not looking like a very sharp slowdown’, MTI second permanent secretary Ravi Menon said
at a media conference on the Q2 economic results. ‘So you’re not looking at a V-shape kind of
situation where there’s a sharp plunge and a sharp rebound.’

In other words, there also isn’t ‘the kind of decisive turnaround that you see in previous business
cycles’, he added. ‘It’s probably going to take a bit of time this time around. It looks like this slowdown
will continue into 2009.’

The global economic dynamics will remain fluid over the next 12-18 months, Mr Menon reckons, with recovery hinging on the state of global credit and asset markets.

‘Credit remains tight; financial institutions have become more riskaverse, weighed down by weak balance sheets which will take some time to repair,’ he notes. ‘The (US) housing market has continued to decline and probably has some way to go.’ As a result, consumer sentiment and domestic demand in the industrial economies are dampened.

Against the preceding Q1, Singapore’s GDP fell 6 per cent in Q2 in adjusted, annualised terms. A negative Q3 would spell a technical recession. While MTI does not expect one, Mr Menon said it cannot be ruled out.
‘All you need is an industry or sector to swing wildly and that could happen,’ he said. As it is, the Q2 slowdown is due largely to a sharp fall in biomedical manufacturing as the pharmaceutical companies here switched to products with lower value in the quarter.
If pharma output were excluded, GDP growth in Q2, instead of 2.1 per cent, would possibly have
been almost twice as high. DBS Bank economist Irvin Seah has estimated it at 3.6 per cent.

Electronics output was also virtually flat in Q2 in the face of weak global demand. As a result, the manufacturing sector contracted 5.2 per cent in the quarter. If the downturn persists, there would ‘probably’ be some job losses in manufacturing, Mr Menon said.

MTI expects the electronics industry to remain soft in the second half of 2008. And pharma output is
expected to be hit by competition from generic drugs and delays in new product approvals, even if the
industry’s medium-term outlook is bright. But wholesale trade and the services are ‘likely’ to remain
robust and help shore up economic growth.

And while inflationary pressures have eased, Mr Menon warned that ‘we’re not yet out of the woods’.
So ‘we’re in for a rough ride but we should stay above the water’, he said, adding that GDP growth in
the second half of the year should be ‘broadly similar’ to the first half. Full-year growth will likely come
in within the lower half of the revised forecast, he added.

Most economists here have largely ‘priced in’ the poor outlook in their forecasts, though a few – such
as the United Overseas Bank team – cut their GDP growth forecasts yesterday following the Q2
release.

Even more bearish, Standard Chartered Bank’s economists believe a technical recession here is on
the cards, and see the Singapore economy growing only 3.5 per cent in 2008. They also expect the
Monetary Authority of Singapore to start shifting – from its appreciation stance over the past 10
months – to a neutral bias on the Sing dollar.

State property at Changi on offer

Business Times – 12 Aug 2008

The parcel has a land area of 104,044 sq ft and GFA of 54,864 sq ft

HOTEL operators can look forward to another state property to develop – this time at Changi.
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) yesterday launched the plot – part of a former military camp – for
public tender.

The tenancy, for an initial three years, is renewable up to 2018. The guide rental is $28,500 a month.
The parcel has a land area of 104,044 sq ft and a gross floor area (GFA) of 54,864 sq ft. It comprises
two three-storey buildings and a shed.

‘SLA is offering a number of vacant state properties for adaptive re- use, such as hotels and lifestyle
attractions, in line with the government’s vision for Changi Point as a seaview hotel, resort and
recreational destination,’ said Teo Cher Hian, SLA’s director for land operations (private).

Since last year, SLA has awarded four state properties in the Changi area for adaptive commercial reuse. Two are now restaurants, while the former Changi General Hospital is being turned into a spa resort.

Groundbreaking takes place next month and the resort is expected to be ready by next year.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) says leading hoteliers have expressed keen interest in the latest
property.

According to STB, mid- tier and economy hotels enjoyed average room occupancy rates of 85 and 87
per cent respectively in the first half of 2008.

Nicholas Mak, director of research and consultancy at Knight Frank, said the successful tenderer for
the Changi plot will have to come up with a unique concept.

He said the hotel needs to play on Changi’s laid- back character and is likely to be mid-tier.
The first state property to be converted for hotel use, at Chin Swee Road, is a boutique establishment
with 140 rooms. It officially opened in mid-May, with an initial occupancy rate of about 50 per cent.

S’pore Q2 GDP up 2%

Business Times – 11 Aug 2008

SINGAPORE – Singapore’s economy grew at the slowest pace in five years. The gross domestic product expanded 2.1 per cent in the second quarter, after growing 6.9 per cent in the first quarter.

The Ministry of trade and Industry said on Monday the economy was hurt by a plunge in drugs output and stagnant growth in the electronics industry.

‘The lower growth in the second quarter was mainly the result of a sharp contraction in biomedical manufacturing value-added, reflecting a switch in product mix to pharmaceutical ingredients with lower values compared to a year ago,’ MTI said in a press release.

It also said the economy shrank at a annualised rate of 6 per cent in the three months to June, the second contraction in three quarters.

The latest GDP figure was better than an advance official estimate of 1.9 per cent growth. Manufacturing shrank 5.2 per cent in the second quarter from a year earlier, while construction increased 17.4 per cent.

The service sector continued to grow at a healthy pace, thought slightly slower than in the first quarter. The financial services sector expanded 10.2 per cent while the business services was up 7.5 per cent.

The Ministry said the full-year growth target for 2008 has been cut to 4.0-5.0 per cent from 4.0-6.0 per cent, a downward revision first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day message on Friday.
It said the revised growth target ‘is consistent with the moderation in economic growth seen in the second quarter.’

It said the outlook for the second half of the year was not expected to improve much with major economies seeing a slowdown that would in turn affect exports from Asia, including Singapore.

MTI said it expected the ‘electronics industry to remain soft in the second half of 2008, reflecting weak demand for semiconductors.
On the short-term outlook of biomedical manufacturing, it said the sector ‘will be weighed down by global trends such as strong competion from generic drugs and delays in approvals for new pharmaceuticals.’

All eyes on IRs now

Business Times – 09 Aug 2008

Apart from a surge in tourism, jobs and tax receipts, Singapore’s two integrated resorts could bring in new investors

WITH expectations of a big boost to the economy, more buzz and the promise of thousands of jobs, it
is no wonder we are all a little anxious to see Singapore’s two integrated resorts (IRs) completed.

Citi analyst Chua Hak Bin believes that the biggest challenge facing the IRs now is ‘probably to
contain costs given the run-up in building material prices and completing the resorts on schedule’.
‘Getting the resorts up and ready by late 2009 or early 2010 would be regarded as a big success,’
added Dr Chua. ‘The greenlight for the integrated resorts was an important turning point for the
economy and property market. Investors could see the potential upside given the stunning growth
seen in Macau and Las Vegas,’ notes Dr Chua.

Will the IRs deliver?
Dr Chua believes that the impact from the IRs will come in two phases. ‘The first phase comes from
construction spending and improved sentiment, particularly from enhanced property values,’ he says.
‘The gains in the second phase comes from the surge in tourism, jobs and tax receipts,’ he adds.
Many have already benefited from ‘enhanced property values’ especially those who bought property
around Marina Bay and Sentosa in 2005 and 2006. But as investors now know, this ‘sentiment’ driven
boost has not really been sustainable.

Dr Chua also notes that recent tourism figures suggest that visitor arrivals are being hit by a global
slowdown, stronger Singapore dollar, and higher travel costs. ‘Annual visitor arrivals could rise
sharply from the current 10.4 million, but may fall short of the government’s target of 17 million by
2015,’ he adds.

In 2006, before the sub-prime crisis set in, it was estimated that Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and
Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) could each generate about $2.7 billion of value-add – about 0.8 per
cent of Singapore’s GDP – by 2015.

Dr Chua believes the IRs will still be a stimulus and expects GDP growth of about 0.3-0.5 percentage
points in 2010-2015. In this light, the casinos will have to perform.

The casino licence was very much the sweetener for both IR operators to pump in over $10 billion to
build the resorts. But now, even the outlook for gaming is not so certain with gaming revenues in Las
Vegas expected to fall this year.

Jonathan Galaviz of Globalysis, a Las Vegas-based boutique travel and leisure sector strategy
consultancy, says that while the casino gaming industry has been traditionally recession resistant, ‘it
is not recession proof’.

‘This is especially the case when an industry, such as airlines, indirectly inhibits the ability of tourists
to visit a destination like Las Vegas due to higher airfares,’ he adds.

And this does not bode well for other gaming capitals. ‘If East Asia were to experience a significant
economic downturn, then Macau would surely be affected, the question would only be by how much,’
says Mr Galaviz.

Singapore’s IRs are also very much modelled after the mega resorts of Las Vegas and the new
developments in Cotai, Macau. And the success of this model is still pending. ‘It will take a long period
of at least 5-10 more years to see whether the integrated resort model of entertainment in Macau has
been a successful strategic endeavour,’ Mr Galaviz says.

In the mean time, work on the IRs here continues. With barely a year to go, MBS says that, ‘a great
majority of construction works have been awarded’.

RWS said it has given out more than $2 billion worth of contracts. It added that rides and attractions
for Universal Studios Singapore are currently being designed and pre-fabricated off-site in places
such as the US and Europe.

When the IRs are up, the much anticipated ‘second phase’ economic euphoria can begin. Savills
Singapore has analysed the impact of new gaming resorts on property markets and concluded that
while Singapore has undergone major structural changes, with new concepts such as waterfront
housing, integrated hotels and new retail formats, some of the impact has already been priced in.
Still, Savills director (marketing and business development) Ku Swee Yong says: ‘The publicity and
attention from tourists and high rollers could bring in new investors and many more jobs. With
Singaporeans almost fully employed, the foreign talents needed to fill these jobs add to demand for
residential units and office space.’

But Mr Ku adds: ‘The period and degree of sustainability will depend on the money spent by the
tourists, MICE groups and the spin-off they create for the economy and the financial services and
tourism sectors.’

The good news is that both are scheduled to open on time. MBS maintains that it will be completed by
December 2009 and RWS confirms it will open in early 2010. ‘As our resort is massive at 49 ha with
varied offerings, we are indeed opening in progression, starting with Universal Studios Singapore,
Hotel Michael, Maxims Residences, Hard Rock Hotel, Festive Hotel, FestiveWalk, as well as the
casino in early 2010. The rest will open progressively,’ adds RWS assistant vice president,
(communications) Robin Goh.

One of the bigger challenges at the IRs is labour. Mr Goh says: ‘Finding talent, training them, and
then retaining them – is no walk in the park.’

MBS managing director George Tanasijevich adds: ‘We are working closely with the Singapore
government and relevant government agencies to ensure there is a proper balance in the labour pool
in order to maintain a stable and competitive labour market overall. Priority will be given to
Singaporeans for all roles.’

That the IRs are projects on a national scale is not lost on the operators either.
RWS’s CEO says: ‘Singapore’s founding fathers built this country into what it is today, with very little
and within a very short time. Resorts World at Sentosa strives to replicate her success, and make
Singapore proud with a destination that will rank as Asia’s No 1 leisure spot when it opens in 2010.’

Challenges for property sector

New engines drive Singapore’s property market but pitfalls remain

THE Singapore property market has weathered the storm from the US sub-prime crisis, soaring oil
prices and overall inflation, pretty well.

Runaway increases in property values in the high-end residential and prime office sectors seen in the
past couple of years, for instance, have started to ease. But they have not dived, and panic has not
set in, at least not so far.

Knight Frank managing director Tan Tiong Cheng says: ‘To some, this is a welcome breather from the
breakneck pace of increases recorded in the last 24 months.’

CB Richard Ellis chairman (Asia) Willy Shee too observes: ‘The overall market has displayed some
resilience. In the office market, there’s still demand for office space with occupiers still looking to precommit office space in yet-to-be completed buildings.’ While the private housing market is not as
buoyant as last year, transaction volumes have picked up in second quarter this year with
encouraging sales from mid and mass-market projects, he adds.

Market watchers feel that in the short-term, property values could head south, driven by near-term
fundamentals. However, the mid-term prospects for Singapore’s real estate sector are generally
considered sound. As a major developer puts it: ‘Population growth, global and regional wealth
creation, sustained government investment in infrastructure, the perennial sharpening of Singapore’s
competitive edge, limited land, security and political stability, internationalisation of the property
market – all these must be good for Singapore real estate prices in the long run.’

The Remaking of Singapore has helped create sound fundamentals for the local property market. The
government’s decision to break from the past and go ahead with developing two integrated resorts
with casinos as well as its efforts to position Singapore as a leading contender in the race among
global cities to attract wealth and talent have boosted the island’s prominence on the radars of
international property investors.

New engines for growing the Singapore economy have also been put in place and this to some extent
may also help shield the island and its property market from the full impact of what’s happening in the
US.

Investments and job creation from the IRs, Sports Hub, expansion plans for rail network and other
infrastructure projects, Singapore’s policy of welcoming foreign talent to its shores, and the strategy of
positioning Singapore as a hub for various industries – financial industry/wealth management, tourism,
education and healthcare – are expected to provide momentum for Singapore’s economy.

‘The IRs, F1, Sports Hub and Youth Olympic Games surprised observers who think that Singapore is
only a clean and safe place to do business but never a place where you can let your hair down,’
observes Knight Frank’s Mr Tan.

‘What do these initiatives mean to savvy investors? They mean that we are perceptive in discerning
changes in the global world, have the will to question old assumptions and have the courage to move
a population to accept initiatives that can be potentially divisive.

‘That the government and its people can move together to tackle challenges ahead demonstrates the
inherent strength of the country as a global city to do business and a place to live,’ Mr Tan added.
DTZ executive director Ong Choon Fah said: ‘Wealth management industry is still a very big thing
here. Wealth from high networths in Asia – China, India – is flowing into Singapore. With IRs and the

F1 race, Singapore is being marketed as a playground for the rich and famous. Family offices and
philanthropy are fast being added to the suite of services offered by private bankers.
‘The removal of estate duty has been a major boost to Singapore’s ambitions to be a wealth
management hub.’

New challenges
But the road ahead for the local property market is paved with challenges. Colliers International
director of research and advisory Tay Huey Ying argues that the ‘mid-term optimism for the Singapore
property market is underpinned by the IRs and the Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC). ‘If these
projects do not deliver, confidence may be shaken,’ she warns.

To be considered successful, the IRs will have to be able to continuously attract visitors year after
year and not fizzle out after the initial novelty wears off. Similarly, the MBFC can be truly considered
an achievement for Singapore’s aspirations to be a leading financial centre if the movement of tenants
into MBFC does not create a vacuum in existing office buildings that can’t be filled within a short span
of time; otherwise, it may just show there’s not that much depth in Singapore’s financial industry, Ms
Tay reckons.

In the residential property market, a short-term challenge that could materialise is if substantial
numbers of home buyers who’ve purchased private homes on deferred payment schemes in the past
few years begin to panic and dump their properties as the projects’ completion dates loom closer.
That would be the time when these buyers have to pay the bulk of the purchase price to developers,
and if some of them think they may have difficulty finding home loans, especially if they are still
holding on to several such units, they may panic and dump their properties at lower than current
market prices.

Such a scenario would be a house hunter’s dream, but could destroy wealth for the majority of
Singaporeans who already own their own homes.

‘Instead of subjecting themselves to panic selling, these property owners may wish to bear in mind
Singapore’s mid-term prospects and should try to hold their properties by securing a financing
package or a tenancy for their property,’ Ms Tay suggests.

Escalating construction costs
Escalating construction costs are another big concern going ahead. ‘The high construction costs
could translate into high purchase cost for buyers and investors of private property assets as well as
contribute to inflationary pressure for end-users of public infrastructure,’ says CBRE’s Mr Shee.
‘The high construction costs would also eat into developers’ profit margins and hence reduce the
incentive for developers to undertake new projects or acquire sites from the Government Land Sales
programme,’ he adds.

On the macro political front, Knight Frank’s Mr Tan says an immediate challenge is the confluence of
unstable political situations in three neighbouring countries – Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia (which
will have a election next year). ‘Put simply, we’re a good property in a bad neighbourhood,’ he said.
CBRE predicts that office rentals are approaching a peak. The average monthly Grade A rental value
rose to $18.80 per square foot in Q2 this year, an increase of 43.5 per cent from the same period last
year. With completions of major office projects from 2010, including MBFC Phase 1 and 50 Collyer
Quay, the property consultancy group predicts the average Grade A office rental will ease to $12-15
psf post-2010.

On a more optimistic note, it highlights that with all the new office developments coming up, a
significant amount of future office stock will constitute world-class modern Grade A buildings. ‘Around
64 per cent of the office completions in the next five years will be Grade A quality,’ Mr Shee says.
For the private residential sector, CBRE has said a correction of residential prices to the tune of 5 to
10 per cent in the second half of this year is likely as the global economy suffers the continued
onslaught from the sub-prime mortgage meltdown and inflation.

Riding the turbulence
Colliers’ Ms Tay highlights the importance of a sound government land supply policy – ‘not just shortterm reactions’ – will help the local property market to ride out the challenges ahead.

‘For individual home buyers and sellers, they should arm themselves with the right information instead
of succumbing to herd instinct or following their emotions,’ she adds.

Knight Frank’s Mr Tan says: ‘Demand for real estate is dependent on economic prospects. With
strong economic fundamentals, I have no doubt that interest in real estate in Singapore by local and
foreign institutional investors will return once the current market turmoil blows over.

In similar vein, CBRE’s Mr Shee says: ‘Fundamentally, the long-term development of the office, retail,
residential and hospitality sectors will not change in spite of the present global financial worries.

‘It was all these government initiatives that attracted a fresh wave of foreign investment into
Singapore in the last 24 months, and it will be these developmental drivers that will continue to attract
investment from various parts of the world to Singapore.’

From exuberance to caution

In just 12 months, Singapore has swung from Boom Town to seeing its slowest quarter in five
years.

ONE year ago, economic and business sentiment in Singapore was probably at an all-time high: The
property market was on a roll, banks and finance houses went on a hiring spree, and the economy,
flush with liquidity, looked headed for a fourth year of 7-9 per cent growth.

The signs spelt Boom Town everywhere you looked, and economists predicted that Singapore, restructured and reinvented, would trail only China and India among Asia’s fastest-growing economies for years to come. Whiffs of (near-irrational) exuberance were much in the air. Then, bang! Just days before National Day 2007, a global financial market meltdown threatened the party mood. The balloons popped, but as it turned out, the Singapore economy’s strong first-half momentum was enough to see it through the year. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2007 still turned in at a robust 7.7 per cent.

Twelve months on, the mood is decidedly more sombre. Overnight, it seems, the property bubble (of
‘exuberance’, not so much ‘excess’ this time) burst, the buzz in the finance sector has all but fizzled,
hot hiring has cooled (with even talk of selective retrenchment in some segments), and the economy
has now seen its slowest quarter in five years.

Has there been a crack in the domestic underpinnings somewhere, or is – as is widely assumed – the
small open economy just taking hits from external headwinds?
The much-heralded US economic slowdown has finally come to pass, compounded by a sub-prime
mortgage crisis that continues to wreak havoc through not only the American economy but pretty
much globally, in second or third-round hits.
Slower growth has also set in elsewhere in the developed world, following several years of robust
performance. Not least, a surge in global energy and food prices has pushed inflation to the fore of
policy concerns in just about every part of the world.

And latest analyses by economists list more than several major economies ‘navigating towards (or
through) recession’ – including the US, Canada, Spain, Ireland, Italy, the UK and New Zealand.
Germany, France and Japan are also seen to be teetering on the brink of recession. In other words,
as RGE Monitor notes, a full-fledged G-7 recession in the making.

With this outlook, coupled with ever-present risks of yet another bout of global financial turbulence, it
is interesting to see some fairly upbeat forecasts of East Asian resilience, like the Asia Development
Bank’s (ADB) that expects the region to weather the global economic turmoil ‘relatively well’ and grow
7.6 per cent this year and next.

ADB has the Singapore economy growing 4.9 per cent in 2008 and 5.8 per cent in 2009 – probably a
little more bullish than the consensus here at this point – on the back of strong domestic demand
(driven by business investment) and buoyant exports. It’s not apparent that Singapore’s exports will
be too ‘buoyant’ this year – the official forecasts of 2008 export growth were pared a few months ago,
and still the May and June trade figures proved unexpectedly bad. Economists also generally see
Singapore – given its size, structure and exposure – as the region’s most vulnerable to a global
downturn.

Has the slowdown exposed, or widened, Singapore’s fault lines? Sure, inflation surged through the
economy, price pressures piled up. But apart from ever greater external uncertainties and a fall in
sentiment, fundamentally what has changed in the six months or so between Boom Town exuberance
in 2007 and sombre caution in 2008? Problems such as structural joblessness in older Singaporeans
and a growing income disparity have not and cannot be swept away overnight.

That said, none other than Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has declared that the next five to 10 years
will be Singapore’s most promising yet as it stakes its place among the world’s top cosmopolitan
global cities.

‘We are moving to a new plateau, a new platform. You can see it visibly before your eyes,’ Mr Lee
said last month.

It’s surely a vision to inspire all Singaporeans. But, for all the spin around Singapore’s restructuring
and transformation, enhanced by a huge influx of foreign skills, some believe that its fortunes – and
Asia’s – will, for the foreseeable future, still largely be tied to the global economy. Which also means
that Singapore can and will ride on the next upturn, when – or if – it comes.

Business Times – 09 Aug 2008

Growth in office occupancy costs tapers off in Q2

Prime Raffles Place space up only 1.1% quarter on quarter: DTZ report

GROWTH in office occupancy costs in Singapore has started to taper off after the meteoric rise last year, reflecting the increased resistance to higher occupancy costs, according to a new report.

‘Apart from Raffles Place, Shenton Way/ Robinson Road/Cecil Street and decentralised areas, growth in occupancy costs in other areas like Marina Centre and Orchard Road was flat in 2Q 2008,’ said DTZ in its second-quarter office market brief.

Average occupancy cost of prime office space in Raffles Place grew only 1.1 per cent quarter on quarter to $19 per square foot per month (psf pm) in the second quarter of 2008. In the Shenton Way/Robinson Road/Cecil Street area, the average office occupancy cost rose by 2.6 per cent quarter on quarter to $11.80 psf pm, while office buildings in HarbourFront enjoyed a higher growth of 5.3 per cent to $10 psf pm.

By contrast, in the first quarter of 2008, occupancy costs continued to rise amid a dearth of supply. Prime occupancy cost in Raffles Place gained 13.9 per cent quarter on quarter to $18.80 psf pm in the first quarter of 2008, for example.

‘As more new supply come on stream, office occupancy is likely to ease and limit growth in occupancy costs in the CBD for the rest of 2008,’ said DTZ, referring to the Central Business District.

However, the report also said that the cautious business outlook and companies gravitating towards cheaper premises like decentralised office buildings, industrial properties, business parks and disused state properties are putting a downward pressure on office occupancies.

Islandwide, average occupancy eased by 0.2 percentage point quarter on quarter to 96.9 per cent in Q2 2008. As a result of occupiers moving out to cheaper locations after lease expiration, office occupancies in
Raffles Place and Marina Centre dropped by 0.3 percentage point to 97.4 per cent and 1.2 percentage points to 98.6 per cent respectively.

But over in decentralised areas like Novena and HarbourFront, occupancy levels rose by 0.4 percentage point to 99.0 per cent and 1.1 percentage points to 98.7 per cent respectively, supported by lower occupancy costs.

DTZ also released its Q2 2008 office report for Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Gross occupancy costs for prime buildings in the Malaysian city rose 3.9 per cent quarter on quarter to RM6.32 (S$2.65) psf pm in the second quarter of this year, the property firm said.

But despite this, financial institutions with presence in Singapore are considering locating call centres
in Kuala Lumpur because of cost differential and special tax breaks, DTZ said in response to a query
from BT.

Source: Business Times 5 Aug 08

HDB imposes checklists on resale flats

Business Times – 25 Mar 2008

THE Housing and Development Board will introduce mandatory checklists for housing agents handling resale flat transactions from May 1 – a move welcomed by industry players.

The checklists cover key policies and procedures that housing agents will need to advise resale flat buyers and sellers on before they commit to a transaction, HDB said yesterday.

‘This is part of HDB’s ongoing efforts to ensure that buyers and sellers are aware of the relevant HDB purchase and financing policies when buying/selling an HDB flat,’ it said.

The move comes after a new scam involving HDB flats surfaced recently. Under the scam, a seller and buyer together report a falsely low sale price to HDB.

The buyer then pays the difference between the actual and declared price to the seller in cash, which means the seller has more cash in hand – rather than having any leftover money go back into his CPF account. To sweeten the deal, the seller usually gives the buyer a discount on the market value of the flat.

Under HDB’s new initiative, housing agents will have to submit a completed resale checklist to HDB with a resale application. Resale applications that do not comply with this requirement will be rejected and there will be ‘serious penalties’ for false declarations.

Housing agents engaged by both sellers and buyers will have to go through a resale checklist with clients before an option to purchase (OTP) is granted or exercised.

Buyers and sellers who do not engage the services of housing agents need not submit a checklist. PropNex, which says it has more than 40 per cent of the public housing resale market, welcomed HDB’s move.

Public housing has many policies and financing requirements that many may not be familiar with, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.

Most buyers tend not to read the important notes attached to OTP, he said.

The new resale checklist for housing agents engaged by buyers, for example, will ensure that buyers are aware of their rights as well as of financing matters. It will also highlight to them the fact that any form of cashback arrangement, such as over or under declaration, is punishable by law.

Similarly, the checklist for sellers’ housing agents will ensure prospective sellers understand the various eligibility rules.

Mr Ismail said that while many agents already educate potential buyers and sellers, some may not, leaving them in the dark.

‘This initiative should lead to greater transparency for buyers and sellers, and ensure a consistently high level of professionalism amongst the agents,’ he said.

Home, retail, office rental growth to ease

Business Times – 25 Mar 2008

Housing rentals to rise 5-15% year-on-year in 2008: Knight Frank

PRIVATE housing rents are expected to grow at a slower pace this year than last year, Knight Frank said in a report yesterday.

The property consultancy firm expects a year-on-year rise of 5-15 per cent in 2008 – after a massive 40 per cent year-on-year increase in 2007.

Knight Frank’s estimates are based on the resistance of tenants and companies to even higher rents, and the limited availability of places at foreign schools for children of expatriates.

‘Due to the fact that foreign schools are full and there are long waiting lists faced by children of foreign families who relocated here, housing demand from new foreign family tenants is projected to decrease,’ Knight Frank said.

‘On top of this, foreign tenants as well as corporate HR (departments) have readjusted housing allowances this year, which constricts rental demand according to their budgets.’

Despite this, a demand-supply imbalance could still result in rental rises until a supply of new units is felt significantly from 2009.

About 8,400 new private homes will be completed this year. But the number will expand dramatically in the three years from 2009 to 2011, with an estimated 16,000 to 17,000 units completed each year.

This could put downward pressure on rents, Knight Frank said.

The same holds true for the retail sector. Knight Frank predicts that landlords could face stronger resistance from retailers to rising rents in the later part of 2008 as more space comes on stream.

‘Rents are forecast to maintain at their current level only until early 2008,’ it said. ‘Faced with a larger supply in the pipeline in the second half of 2008, island-wide prime retail rents are projected to appreciate by a relatively modest 5-10 per cent for entire 2008, compared to 22.1 per cent growth in 2007.’

Knight Frank also said growth in office rents and capital values in 2008 and 2009 will likely to be more moderate than in 2007. Office rents are forecast to rise 10-20 per cent year on year, while capital values are expected to increase 10-15 per cent year on year.

Don’t know what to do during the current property lull?

Business Times – 25 Mar 2008

PROPERTY EXPERTS GIVE SOME TIPS

Seven tips for buying a second home

Did you know, for example, that an HDB flat near an MRT station will give you a higher rental yield than most private properties?

The importance of being earnest when going en bloc

A major en bloc sales agent discusses the impact of the new legislation on collective sales introduced last year on warring owners.

Are you overpaying for your home loan?

Is the deferred payment period on the condo unit you bought a little while ago expiring soon? Read an independent mortgage broker’s advice before you go shopping for that home loan.

Aim for a landed home

So you’ve missed out buying a condo last year? Not to worry. Landed homes may become more appealing this year as they have yet to see the sharp price appreciation experienced by their non-landed counterparts.

3,500 vied for 714 condo-like flats in Boon Keng, but only 460 sold

The Straits Times March 25, 2008

THOUSANDS of applications poured in for a condo-like Housing Board project in January – but as of last week, less than two-thirds of the flats had been taken up.

About a third of the 714 units – or about 250 units – in City View @ Boon Keng remained unsold, said HSR Property Group, which is marketing the project.

These flats will be offered to the public, probably via walk-in selection.

The number of leftover units came as a surprise to market watchers, given that 3,500 applicants had vied for them.

This works out to five would-be buyers for each flat at City View, the second public housing project to be built by a private developer.

It boasts condo-like features such as timber floors, built-in wardrobes and air-conditioning.

All the applicants were given a chance to book the flats they wanted, said HSR project director Kellie Liew.

The selection process stretched over 20 days and ended last Thursday, with more than 3,000 potential deals falling through.

Developer Hoi Hup Sunway sold about 460 units, including six of the top-priced five-room units at $727,000 each, said Ms Liew.

But she added that some buyers backed out of their purchases due to the weakening property market, while others did not meet the required criteria to buy the flats.

‘We’ve been having a series of not-too-positive news about the market, so that could have affected the sentiment of the buyers,’ she said.

‘Also, some applicants were over-qualified, with combined monthly incomes of more than $8,000, so they were not eligible for the flats.’

Hoi Hup declined to comment.

Market watchers suggested that the relatively high prices for the City View units could also have proved a deterrent at crunch time.

The three-room flats were priced between $349,000 and $394,000, double the price tag of similar flats in the vicinity.

Five-room flats went for up to $727,000, which experts said was close to condominium prices.

‘Some people may have jumped on the bandwagon because of the hype, but when it was time to pick up a unit, they felt it was actually too expensive,’ said Mr Mohamed Ismail, chief executive of property agency PropNex.

‘In today’s market, there are many 99-year leasehold properties with full condo facilities that are going for less than $600 per sq ft, so some buyers may have thought twice.’

But Mr Chris Koh, director of Dennis Wee Properties, believes the remaining units could be snapped up quickly.

‘Fundamentals are still strong,’ he said. ‘We don’t see property prices sliding at all.’

He added that the situation could mirror that of The Premiere @ Tampines, the first developer-built public housing project.

The Premiere drew almost 6,000 applications for its 616 units when it was launched in 2006, but fewer than 500 units were sold when the booking process was over.

When the remaining flats were released to the public, long queues formed and would not disperse despite a downpour.

US crisis deepens as home owners turn to short-term loans

The Straits Times March 25, 2008

Such ‘payday loans’ come with high interest rates, piling on the debts

CLEVELAND (OHIO) – AS HUNDREDS of thousands of American home owners fall behind on their mortgage payments, more are turning to short-term loans with sky- high interest rates to get by.

While hard figures are hard to come by, evidence from non-profit credit and mortgage counsellors suggests that the number of people using these so-called ‘payday loans’ is growing. This is a negative sign for economic recovery as the United States housing crisis deepens.

‘We’re hearing from around the country that many folks are buried deep in payday loan debts as well as struggling with their mortgage payments,’ said Mr Uriah King, a policy associate at the Centre for Responsible Lending.

A payday loan is typically for a few hundred dollars, with a term of two weeks, and an interest rate as high as 800 per cent. The average borrower ends up paying back US$793 for a US$325 loan, according to the centre.

The centre also estimates that these lenders issued more than US$28 billion (S$38.9 billion) in loans in 2005. This was the latest available figure.

In the Union Miles district of Cleveland, which has been hit hard by the crisis, all the regular banks have been replaced by payday lenders.

‘When distressed home owners come to us, it usually takes a while before we find out if they have payday loans because they don’t mention it at first,’ said Ms Lindsey Sacher, the community relations coordinator at non-profit East Side Organising Project, which works to refinance US sub-prime mortgage borrowers on the verge of default or foreclosure. ‘But by the time they come to us for help, they have nothing left.’

On top of the steep cost, payday loans have an even darker side, Ms Sacher noted. ‘We also have to contend with the fact that payday lenders are very aggressive when it comes to getting paid.’

Mr Bill Faith, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, an umbrella group representing some 600 nonprofit agencies in Ohio, said the state is home to some 1,650 payday loan lenders. This is more than all of Ohio’s fast food franchises put together.

‘That’s saying something, as the people of Ohio really like their fast food,’ Mr Faith said. ‘But payday loans are insidious because people get trapped in a cycle of debt.’

Mr Robert Frank, an economics professor at Cornell University, equates payday loans with ‘handing a suicidal person a noose’.

‘These loans lead to more bankruptcies and wipe out people’s savings, which is bad for the economy,’ he said.

‘This is a problem that has been caused by deregulation’ of the US financial sector in the 1990s.

REUTERS

Singapore inflation stays at 26-year high

The Straits Times March 25, 2008

Prices jump 6.5%, driven by higher food, transport and housing costs

CONSUMER prices surged 6.5 per cent last month from a year ago, continuing a rate of increase not seen in 26 years.

Food, transport and housing costs were again the main drivers as a confluence of external and internal factors kept last month’s inflation at just a shade off January’s 6.6 per cent.

The figure – released by the Department of Statistics yesterday – was broadly within market expectations. A Bloomberg News poll of 17 economists tipped a rate of 6.8 per cent.

Experts said rising prices will persuade the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to keep its policy of allowing the local currency to strengthen, to help fight off higher prices of imported goods.

But there is less consensus as to whether the central bank will get more aggressive when it holds its scheduled review next month.

Any tightening of monetary policy will hurt an already slowing economy.

‘February’s consumer price index moderated a touch but still stayed elevated,’ said Goldman Sachs economists Mark Tan and Michael Buchanan, who expect inflation to peak at around 7 per cent in the first half of the year.

Prices of meat and poultry, cooking oils and dairy products clocked double-digit gains, while rice, cereal and fruit cost almost 10 per cent more than they did last year.

High oil prices also made themselves felt in electricity bills and at petrol pumps.

Indeed, transport costs jumped 9.6 per cent, boosted also by higher taxi fares and car prices.

Housing costs surged the most at 8.8 per cent. But this was mostly a pass-on effect from January’s one-off revision in annual home values.

Health-care costs rose 7.4 per cent from higher hospitalisation fees and medical consultation charges – and also as Chinese herbs became costlier.

Standard Chartered Bank economist Alvin Liew said sustained increases in this area are of concern, especially as the population gets older.

He noted that the sector is especially dependent on foreign nurses. Competition for these workers and the rising currencies of their home countries may be driving up wage costs in Singapore.

The statistics department also highlighted foreign maid salaries, holidays, cable subscriptions and cigarettes as other significant sources of inflation.

The Trade and Industry Ministry issued an accompanying statement yesterday, saying the ‘underlying momentum in inflation remained stable’. It expects this to decline ‘during the year’ and is retaining its forecast of 4.5 to 5.5 per cent for annual inflation.

Still, Mr Tan and Mr Buchanan believe the MAS will move next month to allow for a faster appreciation of the Singapore dollar.

‘Slowing growth is an obstacle…but in our view, the easing in fiscal settings revealed in the 2008 Budget and low interest rates will provide a buffer to growth,’ they said.

But Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng reckons the MAS will stay put as growth concerns take precedence.

He raised his full-year inflation forecast to 5.4 per cent, ahead of the latest data. But he also slashed his economic growth estimate to 4.7 per cent, from 5.2 per cent, citing worsening United States conditions.

Realising the Marina Bay vision

Business Times – 22 Mar 2008

CHING TUAN YEE and BENJAMIN NG reflect on the planning of Singapore’s most ambitious urban project and highlight the exciting developments in store for Singaporeans and visitors alike

THE vision for Marina Bay is that of a high-quality, 24/7 live-work-play environment, one that encapsulates the essence of the global city Singapore is envisaged to be.

Waterfront business districts such as Canary Wharf in London and Pudong in Shanghai have come, in recent years, to signify urban progress and prosperity. They have raised the international profile of their respective cities while spurring growth and investment.

The Singapore example is in Marina Bay. A seamless extension of Singapore’s flourishing central business district spanning 360 hectares of prime land for development, Marina Bay is our city’s most exciting and ambitious urban project that will support our continuing growth as a major business  and financial hub in Asia.

Set by the water’s edge and with our signature city skyline as a backdrop, Marina Bay is envisioned to be a Garden City by the Bay, a 24/7 destination presenting an exciting array of opportunities for people to explore new living and lifestyle options, exchange new ideas and information for business, and be entertained by rich leisure and cultural experiences in a distinctive environment.

The groundwork for the expansion of the existing CBD (Central Business District) and its transformation into a waterfront business district focused around Marina Bay had been laid as early as the late 1960s. Land adjacent to the CBD was reclaimed in phases between 1969 and 1992.

The Master Plan for Marina Bay focuses on encouraging a mix of uses (commercial, residential, hotel and entertainment) to ensure that the area remains vibrant around the clock.

The concept of ‘white’ site zoning also gives developers more flexibility to decide on the mix of uses for each site, including housing, offices, shops, hotels, recreational facilities and public spaces.

To cater for good connectivity and seamless extension, the development parcels at Marina Bay were planned based on a grid urban pattern which extends from the existing road network within the  CBD.

This grid creates a flexible framework with a series of land parcels that can be amalgamated or subdivided to meet different requirements as well as changing demands and allow the phasing of developments.

Creating signature districts

In the planning of Marina Bay, specific attention was paid to creating value. The land parcels are located within a series of distinctive districts, each focusing around attractive public open spaces and tree-lined boulevards which will provide signature address locations for developments.

Along the waterfront and fronting key open spaces, building heights are kept low. This maximises views to and from individual developments further away from the waterfront, enhancing their attractiveness and creating a dynamic ‘stepped-up’ skyline profile as well as more pedestrian scaled areas.

The successful development of Marina Bay is supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure. To date, the government has pumped in more than $4.5 billion to facilitate development of the area.

A Common Services Tunnel housing electrical and telecommunication cables and other utility services underground is being built, making repeated road diggings a thing of the past. An extensive road and rail network has also been planned, with three MRT stations to be built in the area as part  of the new Downtown rail line.

A new vehicular and pedestrian bridge will link Bayfront to Marina Centre. The 280m pedestrian linkway – the longest in Singapore – will sport a dynamic double helix structure. Together with a new waterfront promenade, this will create a continuous walking loop connecting up the necklace of attractions and open spaces around the Bay.

Another key infrastructural project is the Marina Barrage. When officially opened in 2009, it will turn the existing water body into Singapore’s first reservoir in the city. This will serve as a new source of fresh water for Singapore and a new lifestyle attraction allowing for a variety of water-based  activities and events to take place. It will also house Singapore’s tallest fountain project.

The softer touch

Having provided for much of the ‘hardware’ for the new business district, it became clear that URA had to go beyond its traditional roles of urban planning and land sales management. To this end, the Marina Bay Development Agency was set up within URA to focus on the ‘software’ for developing  the area. Since then, URA has embarked on a full spectrum of marketing, promotion and place management activities to showcase the uniqueness of this new destination.

To generate more buzz, a calendar of events and activities for public spaces and water bodies has been put in place in partnership with various agencies and the private sector. Signature events, like the Marina Bay Singapore New Year’s Eve Countdown, have become a new urban tradition. Marina Bay has also become the definitive venue for a host of sporting events like the F1 Powerboat Race, the Oakley City Duathlon and the Great Eastern Women’s 10km run.

The shape of things to come

While it will take more than a decade for the entire area at Marina Bay to be fully developed, a host of projects that will offer people from all walks of life exciting and attractive options to live, work and play are already taking shape. These upcoming developments have contributed significantly towards enhancing the area’s reputation as a location that offers something for everyone: a tropical living environment among lush greenery; a bustling global business hub and a lifestyle locale presenting a kaleidoscope of entertainment and leisure choices.

LIVE – by the Bay. Marina Bay has fast become one of the city’s most popular and prestigious residential addresses, with a number of outstanding projects already under construction.

The Sail @ Marina Bay will be the tallest residential development in Singapore at 245 metres when it is completed in 2009. It boasts two towers – one at 70 storeys and the other at 63 storeys.  Meanwhile, the Marina Bay Financial Centre incorporates the 55-storey Marina Bay Residences, comprising 428 luxury apartments, and the Marina Bay Suites, a 66-storey development offering 221 exclusive bayside units.

WORK – by the Bay. With its prime location in the heart of Singapore’s future downtown, Marina Bay continues to be a magnet to global investors and tenants seeking premium office space in a prime location.

The development of Marina Bay will help to further position Singapore as one of Asia’s leading financial centres, doubling the size of the existing financial district. The new growth area set aside for the seamless extension of the existing financial district is more than twice the size of London’s Canary Wharf and will provide some 2.82 million square metres of office space, equivalent to the office space within Hong Kong’s main business district, Central.

Already, a nucleus of office developments is forming with the development of One Raffles Quay, the soon-to-be-completed Marina Bay Financial Centre, and the two recently sold sites at Marina View.

Several global banks and multinational corporations, including UBS, Deutsche Bank, DBS and Standard Chartered, are already located or will be locating in these developments.

PLAY – by the Bay. The ‘fun’ factor at Marina Bay is expected to be raised to a new high when the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort opens its doors in 2009. With its impressive design featuring a sky park and three soaring 50-storey hotel blocks with landscaped balconies, the area’s most anticipated project will add a new dimension to our city skyline.

The integrated resort is poised to be a world-class development that will house a casino, two theatres, 110,000 sq metres of meeting and convention facilities, as well as about 2,500 hotel rooms. Other attractions at the integrated resort include restaurants in the form of two floating crystal pavilions and an ArtScience Museum, the rooftop of which becomes an amphitheatre with tiered seating.

Building on Singapore’s green legacy, three world-class waterfront gardens of about 100 hectares have been planned for the area. With the first phase of the project slated for completion in 2010, the Gardens at Marina Bay will be another unique destination attraction for those visiting Singapore and a green sanctuary for people living and working in the city.

Each garden will feature a distinctive design and character. All three gardens will also be interconnected via a series of pedestrian bridges to form a larger loop along the whole waterfront and linked to surrounding developments, open public spaces, transport nodes and attractions.

Focal point for the community

Marina Bay is a prime example of a visionary masterplan that is not only well on its way to becoming a new focal point for the local community, but it has also drawn worldwide attention and interest.

Testament to this is its achievement in attracting close to $16.5 billion worth of private investments to date from international investors and developers from the US, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe as well as the Middle East.

Moving forward, Marina Bay will continue to be the centrepiece of Singapore’s urban transformation, providing the city with the opportunity to attract new investments, visitors and talents.

The URA, as the Development Agency for Marina Bay, is committed to our long-term and strategic plans to meet the area’s future development needs. We will continue to adopt a holistic and integrated approach in designing the area with people in mind, work with partners and communities to implement key infrastructure, and carry out active promotion and place management activities. We will also engage investors to garner more interesting business concepts and ideas. This will take us closer to our vision of making Marina Bay a choice destination for all, one that promises

Singaporeans and visitors alike a brand-new, live-work-play experience.

Ching Tuan Yee is Executive Architect, Urban Planning Section, Urban Redevelopment Authority, while Benjamin Ng is Place Manager, Marina Bay Development Agency, Urban Redevelopment Authority

Business confidence takes a dive

Business Times – 24 Mar 2008

BT-UniSIM survey shows companies gloomy about next six months, despite strong orders

 (SINGAPORE) Business confidence in Singapore has slumped to its lowest level since end-2004, according to the latest business climate survey by The Business Times (BT) and SIM University (UniSIM).

While sales and profit figures were largely unchanged in the three months to Dec 31, 2007, prospects have fallen dramatically for the next six months, the poll of 128 companies revealed.

This was despite companies reporting a strong pipeline of orders and new business. Some 71 per cent of the firms polled have overseas businesses.

Chow Kit Boey, director of the quarterly BT-UniSIM survey, said: ‘I think the firms may be overly pessimistic because of the grim prospects in the US economy, accompanying volatile and weak stock markets and rising oil prices.’

She said that improved orders and new business numbers suggest that the Singapore economy would not suffer too badly in the first quarter of 2008, given the low growth rate a year ago and the largely successful air show in February.

The quarter marked the 17th successive one with positive net balances in sales and orders as well as new business, she added. ‘This implies that the slowdown could be mild. It appears that the economy could grow at a faster rate in Q1 2008 than in Q4 of 2007.’

Economists polled recently by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) pared their first-quarter growth forecast to a median 5.7 per cent from 7 per cent previously, slightly higher than the 5.4 per cent recorded in Q4 2007.

The BT-UniSIM survey showed that the business prospects net balance – the difference between the percentage of optimistic and pessimistic companies – fell to 20 per cent, from 39 per cent in the third quarter of the year. This was itself a sharp drop from an average of 57 per cent for the first half of 2007, showing how confidence has crashed in recent months.

The drop was particularly severe among large and local firms, whose net balances dropped by more than half from the previous quarter. But foreign firms were about as confident as they were in the preceding three months and, intriguingly, small firms were much more upbeat – net balance for the segment tripled to 26 per cent from 8 per cent.

The overall poor sentiment was partly balanced by healthy orders and new business numbers. The overall net balance – the difference between those reporting more orders or new business and those reporting fewer – rose slightly to 39 per cent, from 32 per cent in the third quarter.

But conditions varied widely across firms. Small companies reported a net balance of minus-one per cent, though still an improvement on the previous quarter (-12 per cent). Foreign companies  recorded a net balance of 51 per cent, up from 26 per cent previously.

Among sectors, financial and business services was the star performer for the quarter. It had the highest net balances in sales, profits and orders, and new business.

Firms in the construction sector were the most confident of business prospects for the next six months for the eighth quarter running.

Foreign firms recorded the best performances for Q4, with the largest increases in net balances for sales, profits and orders, and new business. Local firms saw the biggest decline, owing partly to weaker profits, said Ms Chow.

And comparing overall and overseas sales, orders and prospects showed that domestic business activities were stronger in the fourth quarter. In the previous three months, businesses found better sales and orders overseas. But small and local firms still saw better prospects from their foreign operations, while foreign and large firms were more optimistic on the local market.

Vietnam is also fast climbing the charts as a favoured investment destination. China and India were the other frontrunners but ‘Vietnam has gained much popularity as an investment destination by almost all types of firms’, said Ms Chow.

The BT-UniSIM survey was launched in 1996 and is now in its 13th year.

Singapore interest rates likely to fall further

The Straits Times March 24, 2008

Fed cut and robust Sing$ could push interbank lending rate below 1%

SINGAPOREANS can expect cheaper mortgages but lower savings and fixed deposit rates in the months to come.

This is after a move by the United States Federal Reserve to slash a key US interest rate last week.

The Fed had cut three-quarters of a point off its federal funds rate, bringing it to 2.25 per cent, to fight a mushrooming credit crisis and a slowing US economy.

Economists in Singapore said the lowering of the Fed funds rate will have a knock- on effect in the Republic.

The Singapore Interbank Offered Rate (Sibor), or the rate at which banks lend to one another, tends to track the Fed rate.

Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng said: ‘For Singapore rates, the trend is downwards. We expect the Fed to cut its rate to 1 per cent and Singapore should follow with a lag.’

He lowered his forecast for the Sibor, estimating it would fall to as low as 0.75 per cent by the end of the third quarter, down from an earlier estimate of 1 per cent.

A recent report by DBS Group Research also forecast the Sibor would fall, to 0.83 per cent in the second quarter, and remain at that rate through the second half before rising next year.

The three-month Sibor fell to a 12-month low of 1.25 per cent last Monday, before recovering to 1.425 per cent on Thursday, ahead of the Good Friday public holiday.

Mr Kit said Singapore rates were also affected by the Singapore dollar’s appreciation against the US currency. He said the Singdollar is most probably at the top end of the secret trade-weighted band within which the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) guides the currency.

‘With the Singdollar expected to continue appreciating, MAS will aim to moderate it by flooding the market with liquidity, which will in turn pressure interest rates downwards,’ he said.

OCBC economist Selena Ling said another consequence of the strong Singdollar would be a high inflow of foreign capital into the Republic. ‘This can also contribute to lower interest rates.’

For consumers, the net result is both good and bad.

Banks recently embarked on a mortgage loan war, with Maybank firing the first salvo last month with an aggressive three-year, fixedrate package offered at 1.68 per cent for the first year.

DBS Bank and United Overseas Bank (UOB) have also unveiled attractive packages. UOB has one that offers a zero rate in the first year.

And with Sibor-linked home loan package rates likely to head south too, it could be a good time to refinance mortgage loans, experts said.

A DBS spokesman said: ‘DBS offers transparent mortgage rates pegged to the Sibor and the CPF Ordinary Account rate, so our rates will move in tandem with market forces.’

But there is also the possibility that savings and fixed deposit rates could slump as interest rates go down.

OCBC’s vice-president for group wealth management, Mr Fabian Lum, said the bank would review its deposit rates to keep them in line with prevailing market conditions.

And while the bank has not changed its savings rate recently, it lowered its 12-month fixed deposit rate for amounts between $50,000 and $1 million to 1.2 per cent a year from 1.4 per cent earlier this month.

DBS said that its savings deposit rates had not been adjusted since 2005, but added that its fixed deposit rates are always pegged to the interbank rate and would thus be adjusted accordingly.

CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun said that the low interest rates did not reflect a lack of liquidity on the part of banks. ‘The loansdeposit ratio is still very strong, so banks definitely have the money to lend,’ he said.

‘But I think there is greater caution now, after what has happened in the US with the sub-prime crisis, and people are much more cautious nowadays when it comes to borrowing and lending money.’

PROPERTY: Muted market gives buyers more bargaining power

The Straits Times March 23, 2008

Prices aren’t tumbling but it’s a good time to get a unit at a reasonable price, say experts

IT IS no secret that the residential property market is in a lacklustre mood.

With many buyers and sellers having scurried to the sidelines as the United States sub-prime woes brought about an uncertain stock market, new home sales slipped to a nine-month low last month.

For those looking to buy a home, the question is whether to buy now or later.

As fire sales have yet to hit the market and prices largely appear to be holding steady, it may not yet be a time when bargains abound everywhere.

But property experts say this may be the best time to bargain for a reasonable deal if you have something in mind.

It is a time when sellers – be it developers selling their new developments or individuals selling their properties in the resale market – are more flexible and buyers have more bargaining power, they say.

Generally, developers are still loath to lower their prices. So a good bet now is likely to be the resale market, where sellers can be more flexible, depending on their reasons for wishing to sell their property.

Completed properties also have the advantage of generating an immediate rental yield, or allowing buyers to move in any time they like, consultants say.

‘Right now, bargain-hunting may take place in the secondary market,’ says Mr Donald Han, Cushman & Wakefield’s managing director.

Some sellers may be looking to get out of the property market because they either cannot or do not wish to hold on to the asset on hand, he adds.

There are certainly desperate sellers out there, but it is not as though they are all ready to sell at a major discount or take a significant loss, says a property investor who declined to be named.

Last month, only 185 new homes were sold, down from 328 in January.

If the current standstill in the market continues, some small developers may start to lower their prices, say property consultants.

And if this happens, it will affect the entire market.

Home prices could fall, but by then, other buyers may beat potential buyers to the properties that they like.

This is why some property consultants say it is really an individual’s reading of the market on when to buy.

This is particularly so for those with a specific unit or a small project in mind, or those seeking unusual products such as suburban condominium units with pools.

The freehold 39-unit Ambrosia in Telok Kurau, for example, offers units with swimming pools, which is not common in small projects.

Its nine penthouses and two ground-floor units come with private pools and these have attracted fairly strong interest.

About 30 per cent of the five-storey development has been sold at an average price of $950 per sq ft (psf), says property consultancy Knight Frank, which is marketing the project.

‘Last year, valuation was trying to keep up with transacted prices,’ says Mr Han. ‘Now, transacted prices are keeping up with valuations.’ Mr Eric Cheng, executive director of HSR property group, says: ‘In today’s market, you can find cheap buys.’

But not all units are cheap, even if the sellers are willing to offload their homes without any profit, he adds.

For instance, some sellers at the 99-year leasehold The Rochester in Buona Vista may be keen to sell at around $1,200 psf, which could be the price they bought at last year.

But the project was launched at 2007 prices, at a time when the market was booming, he said, so they are not a real bargain.

Behind latest Fed rate cut, inflation fears loom

The Straits Times – March 20, 2008

WASHINGTON – THE United States central bank cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point to 2.25 per cent, less than widely expected but more than what some of its policymakers were comfortable with.

Two of the 10 voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee opposed the cut, preferring ‘less aggressive action’, according to the Federal Reserve’s statement on Tuesday. Markets had expected a bigger 1 percentage point cut.

It was the first time since September 2002 that a pair of policymakers defied their Fed colleagues, and analysts sensed a change in the central bank’s message.

‘The message was, we’re going to be vigilant about inflation,’ Mr Jerry Webman, chief economist at Oppenheimer Funds, told the Chicago Tribune.

He added: ‘We’re going to do other things which treat the problems but avoid going down the traditional monetary path straight into the jaws of inflation. The dissents were part of that message.’

In its statement, the central bank warned of further weakening in the economy and ‘considerable stress’ in financial markets. But one paragraph dwelt on the risks of inflation.

By cutting rates further, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke is placing a heavy bet that commodity prices and other leading indicators of inflation will come down on their own, aided by a slowing economy.

While allowing that ‘uncertainty about the inflation outlook has increased’, the Fed reiterated the view that slower growth and lower ‘resource utilisation’ will bring inflation back into the central bank’s comfort zone.

Given the inflation warnings, Mr Michael Lewis of Free Market said that ‘while the Fed may cut rates at the April 29-30 meeting, we expect that the easing arc is about finished’.

Mr Michael Woolfolk, currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon, told the Chicago Tribune that the next step might be a coordinated effort by major nations to intervene in currency markets to support the US dollar.

Repeated Fed interest rate cuts, as well as a pessimistic outlook towards the US economy, has sent the greenback to record lows – worsening inflation by pushing up the prices of oil and other commodities.

REUTERS, WASHINGTON POST

Strong demand in Asia seen slowing next year

Business Times – 20 Mar 2008

This poses risks as firm US recovery unlikely: consultancy

 (SINGAPORE) Domestic demand in Asian countries this year look strong, but may slow down in 2009. This may present risks to regional countries as the US economy is unlikely to make a strong recovery next year, according to consultancy firm IMA Asia.

‘Many people in the United States say that (the plunge in global financial markets) will present difficulties for Asia because it would mean a slowdown in its export engine, but this is the second  year of slow export growth for Asia,’ noted Richard Martin, IMA Asia managing director. ‘Last year, export growth was pretty weak; it fell from 2006 for most countries in the region.’

He believes the region will sustain its demand growth for this year. ‘We think domestic demand looks secure in China, and in South-east Asia, we see good domestic growth… we’re pretty confident that domestic demand will carry the region for a second year.’

The issue, however, is ‘what happens next year’, said Mr Martin, who was in Singapore yesterday to speak to IMA Asia’s corporate clients on the region’s economic outlook.

‘By the time we get into the third year of weak exports growth, you’re going to see some difference (in growth) in the region,’ he said, adding that the US economy is unlikely to show a strong recovery in 2009.

And that difference, he said, will boil down to two factors – the level of country risk an economy faces, and the degree of reliance it has on the global market. ‘Economies with relatively high country risk will slow down a lot and have some volatility…we also need to look at the degree of reliance on the global market, not only trade reliance but also finance reliance.’

China, for one, ‘looks fine’ as its export sector makes up only about 25 per cent of its gross domestic product, while the country’s investments are financed from its domestic savings, he said. ‘However, we’ll see quite a different impact in a number of other countries. Hong Kong and Singapore face the prospect that their growths will be halved next year, because they’re highly dependent on global trade and global finance, and it’s the financial sector flows in the bank that are being cut back here.’

‘If it was just the trade cut back, we think domestic demand would keep (both economies) going, but once we cool that off, we could see a significant drop in growth in these economies.’ In view of these factors, Mr Martin advised companies to start revising their plans for next year.

Cheung Kong pips Far East in URA tender

Business Times – 20 Mar 2008

It offers $305psf ppr for West Coast condo plot next to Blue Horizon

 (SINGAPORE) Cheung Kong Holdings-linked Billion Rise yesterday pipped Far East Organization to emerge as top bidder for a 99-year leasehold condo site facing West Coast Park and overlooking the sea.

Billion Rise’s bid of $110.44 million or $305 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr) was just 1.4 per cent higher than the next highest offer of $301 psf ppr by Far East unit Tian Hock Properties.

The tender for the choice plot, next to Blue Horizon condo developed by Far East, attracted 12 bids. City Developments and TID, Allgreen Properties, Frasers Centrepoint, MCL Land, Sim Lian, a Kheng Leong unit and Hoi Hup Realty were among the other bidders. Entities linked to Alpha Investment Partners and Teambuild Construction also took part in the tender.

Yesterday’s outcome was in a sharp contrast to that at a state tender last week for a landed housing plot at Jurong West when there were just two bids – both way below market expectations. The Housing & Development Board, which conducted that tender, decided not to award the site.

On offer at yesterday’s tender, conducted by Urban Redevelopment Authority, was a more appealing site near the sea and a short drive from the VivoCity shopping and entertainment complex.

‘The plot attracted an overwhelming response of 12 bids from major and mid-size developers and contractors,’ said CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho. ‘It signals developers’ confidence in the suburban segment despite the current lukewarm response to new projects.’

Notwithstanding the wide participation in yesterday’s tender, the top bid of $305 psf ppr was towards the lower end of the $260-400 psf ppr range of bids indicated by property consultants when the site was launched in January.

Industry sources suggested that Cheung Kong’s breakeven cost for the condo could be about $600- 630 psf. ‘It is likely that units in the proposed development will be sold at an average price of around $750-800 psf,’ said Knight Frank director Nicholas Mak.

Units at Blue Horizon next door were transacted at an average price of $740 psf in Q4 last year.

Market watchers had expected Cheung Kong, controlled by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, to be awarded the latest site. The last time that a company in Mr Li’s stable was awarded a 99-year condo site in a state tender here was 11 years ago in early 1997, when Japura Pte Ltd placed the top bid of $456.51 psf ppr for a site in Bayshore Road, which it later developed into the Costa Del Sol condo that boasted sweeping views of Singapore’s eastern shoreline.

Costa Del Sol is in front of The Bayshore condo, which was developed by Far East. This time, the heavyweights took the competition to the West Coast.

Foreigners snap up homes as rents start to bite

Business Times – 12 Mar 2008Their purchases could account for half of 2007 transactions on the secondary market

 (SINGAPORE) A record number of foreigners here have opted to purchase homes instead of renting them at ever-climbing rates.

According to an analysis of transactions of private residential properties by DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, foreigners bought 6,536 non-landed homes from the secondary market in 2007 – the largest number since 1995.

They could account for more than 50 per cent of the secondary market transactions last year. That is because while more than 20,000 non-landed homes were sold on the secondary market last year, this number includes the units from more than 100 collective sales. DTZ’s analysis does not include en bloc units – though earlier reports had put this figure at around 6,000 for the first half of 2007 alone.

Purchases by foreigners on the secondary market represent a 105 per cent increase in volume compared to 2006.

DTZ research senior director Chua Chor Hoon said that while some buyers were investors, there were also those who ‘are not on company budget and find it more worthwhile to buy rather than face escalating rentals, especially if they are going to be in Singapore for more than a couple of years’.

DTZ’s figures for 2007 reveal that rents of prime apartments and condominiums increased 45 per cent year-on-year in 2007 to average $4.80 per square foot (psf). This was attributed to the influx of expatriates and a tight supply of prime apartments, as numerous prime developments were demolished or slated for redevelopment after being collectively sold.

The percentage of foreigners buying non-landed property from the primary market (developer sales) was lower at 25.4 per cent, or 2,314 transactions out of a total of 9,089, reinforcing the assertion that foreigners are more inclined to buy a home for immediate occupation.

Indonesians and Malaysians remain the biggest foreign buyers here, accounting for 23 and 17 per cent of all foreigners in 2007 respectively, but Indians (12 per cent), Britishers (8 per cent), Chinese (7 per cent) and Koreans (7 per cent) are also well represented.

While foreigners bought non-landed homes in record numbers last year, boosting demand in the process, their absence in the landed homes sector (because of restrictions imposed by the government) did not stop a record number of landed homes being sold in the secondary market.

DTZ’s analysis reveals that of the total 5,211 landed homes sold in 2007, 4,823 were from the secondary market.

Apart from the bullish sentiment which ‘spilled over’ from the non-landed sector last year, the landed sector also saw demand rise as it was still considered comparatively good value.

DTZ’s figures show that average capital values for non-landed freehold homes in the prime districts increased by 55 per cent

year-on-year to $1,480 psf.

For freehold landed homes in the prime districts, average capital values of detached homes increased 31 per cent year- onyear, while average capital values of semi-detached and terrace homes rose 29 and 27 per cent respectively.

The situation was also exacerbated by the tight supply of new launches of landed homes in the year, estimated at around 650 units.

DTZ’s Ms Chua also believes that with speculation less rampant in the landed housing sector – ‘most buyers are owneroccupiers’ – prices are expected to be more stable and could even prove ‘more resilient’ if the downturn in the global economy is protracted.

However, DTZ expects future supply of landed homes to be relatively low at just 3,100 units over the next few years, so this could push up demand and prices for both primary and secondary market landed homes.

Speculation, defined by the number of subsales, was rampant among developer sales of non-landed homes last year, hitting an all-time high of 4,631 transactions – a 312 per cent year-on-year increase over 2006.

Interestingly, while subsale transaction volume in 2007 was just 27 per cent higher than during the previous peak of 1996, the value of subsales was almost twice as high, hitting $7.9 billion.

The fourth quarter, however, marked a shift in sentiment in the property market. Only 3,947 non-landed homes were transacted in the quarter, of which just 846 were sold by developers, reflecting a 64 per cent quarter-on-quarter drop. This was one of the worst performing quarters in the last three years.

Guocoland dives on options lapse

Business Times – 12 Mar 2008

Shares hit as Kuwaiti-linked fund pulls out of $815m property purchase

SHARES of Guocoland fell victim yesterday to news that a fund company managed by Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) Berhad (KFHMB) did not exercise options to buy $814.8 million worth of  apartments in Guocoland’s upmarket project here.

Following analysts’ downgrade, the stock dived as much as 19 cents or 5 per cent to an intra-day low of $3.64 before closing at $3.70, down 13 cents or 3.4 per cent. More than 420,000 shares changed hands.

But the reaction from property counters was mixed, with Ho Bee falling two cents to 95 cents and SC Global dipping four cents to $1.50. Keppel Land edged up five cents to $5.35 and CapitaLand gained 18 cents to $5.89.

The fund company managed by KFHMB had purchased options in December last year to buy 97 units at the premier freehold development Goodwood Residence. There are only 210 exclusive units on this 24,845-sq-m estate fronting the expansive Goodwood Hill. KFHMB is the Malaysian unit of Kuwait Finance House (KFH).

Guocoland said on Monday that although the options have lapsed, the parties are still in discussions, with a view to granting fresh options for units in the development.

It is not known why the fund did not exercise the options, but Guocoland said in its Monday announcement that ‘the current private residential property market appears to be cautious in Singapore’. This could have prompted its decision to market Goodwood Residence units selectively at a later date.

But in the stock market yesterday, speculation was rife over reasons for the lapse. Some cited the cautious market sentiment while others cited over-pricing of the units. There was even talk of an unsuccessful marketing campaign for these units by KFH in Dubai. The median price of $3,200 per square feet that the KFHMB fund agreed was earlier seen by some as a possible benchmark pricing for the area.

DBS Vickers yesterday cut its rating on Guocoland to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ and lowered its target price to $4.14 from $5.60 after revising downwards its average selling price estimates for Guocoland’s high-end and mid-tier projects and ascribing a 15 per cent discount to Guocoland’s revalued net asset value.

‘We believe that the decision by KFHMB to allow these options to lapse is a sign of the weak sentiment in the physical property market currently, particularly in the high-end segment,’ the brokerage said.

But Westcomb Financial Group said it believes that this lapse of options ‘should not be taken as a signal that the Singapore private residential property market has fallen drastically.

‘In fact, the buyer has overpaid their purchases in December 2007, maybe with the view that the market would continue its uptrend in 2008.’

 

Landed housing plot draws top bid of just $77.80 psf

Business Times – 12 Mar 2008

Only one other offer made; poor show seen as sign of uncertain market

IN what is seen as a sign of an uncertain property market, a landed housing parcel in Jurong West drew only two bids, and a low top bid of $11.8 million – or just $77.80 per square foot (psf) – at the close of a government land tender yesterday.

The higher bid, put in by Boon Keng Development, was significantly below what analysts had said the site could fetch.

Cushman & Wakefield managing director Donald Han, for example, reckoned that the plot would fetch $200-$250 psf of land area.

‘The price is really below expectation,’ said Mr Han yesterday. ‘But with the market sentiment being so weak, you can expect wild swings in prices. Developers will be sitting on the sidelines or might not want to bid their best prices.’

The other bid was put in by Sunway Concrete Products, a unit of Malaysian- listed Sunway Holdings. It offered $10.3 million, or $68.1 psf of land area.

Li Hiaw Ho, executive director for research at CB Richard Ellis, said that both bids were ‘relatively conservative’ and reflected the current cautious sentiment in the market.

The 99-year leasehold site on Westwood Avenue has a land area of 151,759 sq ft. Property analysts estimate that some 50-60 landed homes can be built on the site.

‘Nevertheless, based on the highest bid of $78 psf, terrace houses on this site could still be sold for $900,000 to $1 million each,’ Mr Li said. This is slightly higher than recent transactions of intermediate terrace houses in nearby Westwood Park and Westville, which were between $820,000 and $990,000 each.

Potential buyers, Mr Li added, could comprise locals working in the manufacturing firms in Jurong and Tuas, as well as academics at nearby Nanyang Technological University.

Market watchers, however, said that it is possible that the government might not award the site because of the low price.

The price looks especially low when considering other recent government sales of landed housing plots, Mr Han pointed out.

In October, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) auctioned off 12 sub-divided landed housing plots near Sembawang Beach which can be developed into a total of 57 landed homes. The auction fetched a total of $37.09 million, which worked out to about $285 psf of land area on average.

And in January, the government decided not to sell a short-term office site in Aljunied because the sole bid offered too low a price. The decision followed a recent string of lower-than-expected offers for state land.

Wild swing reflects fears of US slowdown

Business Times – 12 Mar 2008

SHORT-COVERING and a late afternoon rebound on Nasdaq futures saw the Singapore market’s benchmark index chalking a remarkable 80-point turnaround in intra-day trading, first plunging to a new 16-month low, then rebounding to close in positive territory. Also boosting the market are expectations that the Federal Reserve may intervene more aggressively to address the impact of the tightening credit crunch.

Nevertheless the wild gyration characterised investor nervousness amid intensifying fears of a US recession and concern that tightening money market conditions could trigger a third wave of the global credit crisis.

After initially opening at a low of 2,794.62 points, the Straits Times Index dribbled sideways for much of the morning session before a late afternoon recovery by index movers like Singapore Telecom, DBS Bank, CapitaLand, Singapore Exchange and OCBC helped the index climb to its late afternoon high at 2871.60 points. It closed at 2,860.85 points, for a net 24.26-point gain.

However, the day started with a jolt for property stocks after Kuwait Finance House pulled out of a $818.4 million deal to buy 97 of GuocoLand’s apartments in its Singapore Goodwood Residence. GuocoLand – controlled by Malaysian property tycoon Quek Leng Chan – plunged to a low at $3.64, before recovering to close with a net 13-cent loss at $3.70.

Although other leading property plays like City Developments, controlled by Mr Quek’s cousin Kwek Leng Beng, and CapitaLand recovered to end the session in positive territory, the pullout by the Kuwaiti bank is nevertheless seen as an ominous sign for the residential property market here. Analysts said the move raises fears that the property sector may be heading for a serious downturn after a sharp run-up which started in late 2006.

Meanwhile, the larger concern for many investors is not so much whether the US is already in a recession, but how long the slowdown will last. Last week, the US employment report showed the economy lost 63,000 jobs in February, bringing job losses in the first two months of 2008 to 85,000. And US consumer confidence fell sharply in March, according to the latest reading of the RBC Cash Index, which at 33.1, is the lowest reading since data tracking began in 2002.

Traders say that while many Singapore listed stocks have retraced to attractive valuation levels, fears of a potential major capitulation on Wall Street and concerns over the direction and sustainability of the Chinese market  and economy is keeping investors sidelined.

In an online research report yesterday, Kim Eng said the Singapore index had a 22 per cent downside from current levels.

‘Since 1964, the five major bear markets in Singapore lasted an average of two years,’ Kim Eng’s Kelive noted. ‘The shortest one ran for 14 months (Jun ’81 to Aug ’82) while the longest down cycle extended 3¼ years (Dec ’99 – Apr ’03), albeit Sars had extended the crisis by an additional 1½ years. Within bear trends, there can be sharp rebounds as seen during Oct ’81 – Jan ’82 (+26 per cent), Jan-Mar ’98 (+29 per cent) and Sept ’01 – Mar ’02 (+37 per cent). Assuming the current downturn lasts 14 months, the earliest that the market can expect to recover is end 2008.’

The research house sees DBS, UOB, CapitaLand, City Developments and SembCorp Industries as having the greatest downside risk among bluechips. Keppel Corp is the safest bet, it added.

Space crunch in Orchard pushes docs to Novena

March 12, 2008

The area could turn into medical hub as more private doctors set up clinics there

PRIVATE doctors are flocking to the Novena area as the squeeze on clinic space in the Orchard Road belt tightens.

The migration could turn the area into Singapore’s newest centre for private health services, some believe.

In the space of two years, developer Far East Organization has already sold or leased 92 per cent of the 145 medical suites at its new Novena Medical Centre (NMC).

Private doctors at the centre, which opened last October, are allowed to use some X-ray machines and labs in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), which is just across the street.

Developers in the area are also setting space aside for private doctors, as well as accommodation for patients and their families.

The spill-over of demand has prompted Far East to house another 64 clinics in its 28-storey hotel in nearby Sinaran Drive. The group plans to either sell or lease the suites when ready, which is likely to be by 2010.

In Newton Road, SC Global Developments will also save space for medical suites in its upcoming office building, Newton 200.

Private specialists can also look to the Parkway Group’s new hospital in Irrawaddy Road, which is scheduled to open in July 2011. The group is setting aside 30 per cent of its space for them.

Medical suites in Novena occupy about one-third of the space that clinics in Orchard do. At about 24,154 sq m in total, they cover about the same area as Clarke Quay.

This spate of activity is fuelled by the Government’s plan to attract one million foreign patients a year by 2012.

Mr G.L. Yap, executive director for Far East Organization’s property services, said: ‘The infrastructure has to keep pace with expectations of growth.’

Foreign patients number more than 400,000 a year and come mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, with increasing numbers from China, the Middle East and developed countries. They come for a range of treatments, including day surgery and routine health checks.

Spending on so-called medical tourism averaged about $1.3 billion in 2006 and is expected to double by 2012, according to Dr Jason Yap, director of health-care services at the Singapore Tourism Board.

The space crunch is already being felt by medical centres at Mount Elizabeth, Gleneagles, Paragon and Camden.

Company officials say that, save for three units, the buildings have been totally sold or leased out. While Paragon declined to say how many units it has, the three other centres have more than 540 suites.

The demand for medical suites has been pushing rents up, said property analysts. In the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, a suite was last sold for $5,000 psf, up from $4,017 last March.

Colorectal surgeon Francis Seow-Choen bought a unit at Novena two years ago because of high rents. For the past four years, he has also been renting a unit at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, where rents have risen to about $18 psf, from about $8 psf four years ago.

‘The rents here have risen astronomically,’ said Dr Seow-Choen. ‘Instead of being subjected to market forces, I’ve decided to buy a unit in Novena, which as an area has a lot of potential.’

The Singapore Medical Group moved its Sports Medicine Centre from Paragon to the NMC this year, because of the space crunch and the area’s attraction as a sports and medical hub.

Dr Jimmy Lim, a cardiologist who crossed over from TTSH to set up his own clinic at the NMC, said the new clinic allows his previous patients to visit him.

‘Having a restructured hospital and now a private hospital nearby is basically going to give my  patients a wider choice when they use the in-patient facility,’ he said.

Source: The Straits Times

All eyes on govt land tenders this month

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

$500m site above Serangoon MRT, 3 suburban housing plots on offer

AMID the current quiet market, all eyes will be on four 99-year leasehold suburban Government Land Sale site tenders that close this month.

They comprise three private residential sites including one for landed housing, and a ‘white’ site above the Serangoon Circle Line MRT station that could potentially be worth more than $500 million.

The action kicks off today, with the closing of a tender for a landed housing parcel in Westwood Avenue, Jurong West, big enough for about 50-60 landed homes.

Cushman & Wakefield managing director Donald Han reckons the 151,759 sq ft plot could fetch about $200-250 psf of land area. The plot is next to the landed housing area at Westville. Those looking for clues on how developers read the suburban mass-market residential sector will have to train their eyes on tender closings for two plots this month, both boasting scenic locations.

One is at West Coast Crescent next to Blue Horizon condo and faces West Coast Park and overlooks the sea. The other is in Yishun, fronting Lower Seletar Reservoir and close to Singapore Orchid Country Club/Golf Course. It is also near Khatib MRT station.

Property consultants polled by BT in January, when the tenders for the two sites were launched, indicated bids of about $200-300 psf per plot ratio (ppr) for the Yishun plot.

Mr Han reckons the winning bid will be closer to $300 psf ppr, reflecting a breakeven cost of about $550-600 psf and a possible average selling price of $700-800 psf for the new condo.

As for the West Coast plot, consultants earlier indicated a wide range of bids – $260-400 psf ppr. Mr Han estimates the plot’s value at the higher end of that range, around $380-400 psf ppr as ‘it is near parks, recreational facilities and the sea’, translating to selling prices of about $850-950 psf for a new condo on the site, on a project-average basis.

He expects the Yishun and West Coast condo sites to attract at least five bids each, while the landed housing plot at Westwood Avenue could draw more bids, about five to eight.

‘Developers may be willing to look at smaller profit margins because these are sure-sell markets, given pent-up demand in the mass market. However, buyers are still price-sensitive,’ he said.

While some analysts and consultants still feel the mass-market will be relatively resilient this year, City Developments executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng recently offered a different perspective.

‘The mass market will do well, but selectively. It’s not going to be what you’ve seen before. . . people queuing up,’ he said, noting that the Housing & Development Board provides a credible alternative to mass- market private housing.

The Serangoon Central site was quietly launched in December by the Land Transport Authority. The 269,180 sq ft plot can be developed into an estimated maximum potential gross floor area (GFA) of about 850,000 sq ft excluding a bus interchange that the successful bidder will have to build. The developer will be reimbursed the cost of building the interchange.

The site can be developed into any combination of commercial, hotel, residential, and sports and recreational use.

Cushman’s Mr Han said that assuming 30-40 per cent of the GFA is for retail use and the rest for residential, the plot could be worth about $400-450 psf ppr, or a total of around $340-380 million.

‘So the breakeven cost would be about $700 psf for the residential component and the developer might be able to achieve selling prices of say $900-1,000 psf on average. The retail component will break even at about $1,200-1,400 psf,’ he reckons.

However, other property insiders say that assuming an all-retail development, which would be the ‘highest and best use’ of the site, land bids could come in closer to the $600-700 psf ppr mark (about $500 million to $600 million in total).

Suburban malls are generally valued at about $1,800-2,000 psf of net lettable area currently,’ one player pointed out.

However, another major player countered that sentiment today is subdued, and said the challenge of securing bank finance for such a big project with a likely total investment of about $1 billion or more will put a dampener on bullish bidding for this site.

The action and market watching continues next month, with at least two interesting offerings at state land tenders – a private condo site at Toa Payoh Lorong2/3, and a 1.56-hectare site in Choa Chu Kang for residential development that comes with the existing Ten Mile Junction mall.

China’s growth story due for reality check

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

Country may face headwinds of a US recession as its stock market, property sector cool

THE beginning of Wen Jiabao’s second term seems remarkably similar to his first. In 2003, when Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, first took the helm as president and prime minister respectively, they were tested by the Sars crisis.

The pessimism of those like Gordon Chang in The Coming Collapse of China was at its peak. But Mr Hu and Mr Wen weathered that crisis and turned in the best five-year term performance in recent memory.

In 2007, China’s GDP reached RMB24.66 trillion (S$4.8 trillion), an average 10.6 per cent annual real growth from 2002 to 2007. In 2007, Germany defended its position as the world’s third largest economy only by a 2 per cent margin (higher than China) measured by daily-weighted exchange rate.

Also in 2007, China replaced the United States, becoming the world’s second largest goods exporter, next only to Germany. By the end of 2007, China’s foreign currency reserves ballooned to US$1.53 trillion, ranking it first in the world, 5.3 times more than at the end of 2002.

This time, when Mr Hu and Mr Wen are about to start their second term in January, China was plagued by a massive snowstorm and they weathered that too.

While many have doubts about China’s infrastructure quality and crisis control system, I simply cannot think of any other country that could have done a better job at a time when the worst snowstorm in half a century coincided with the Chinese New Year and millions of people were trying to get back home for family reunions and then go back to their places of work within the space of a few weeks.

According to Ma Kai, director of National Development and Reform Commission, China’s planning agency, from Jan 23 to March 2 – a span of 40 days – 196 million people travelled by railways and many millions by road, while the snowstorm almost paralysed the entire transportation network in many parts of China.

The 2003 Sars crisis and the 2008 snowstorms demonstrated China’s ability to overcome any shortlived crisis.

But for Mr Wen, there are much tougher challenges ahead in the first year of his second term. On March 5, at the first session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), Mr Wen set China’s 2008 growth target at 8 per cent. Mr Wen’s 8 per cent target surprised none as this figure has been the regular target in the past few years. It basically comes from the 7-8 per cent long-term growth target which will quadruple China’s 2000 GDP by 2020.

In 2007, when the official target was set at 8 per cent, the real outcome was 11.4 per cent, a 13-year high. But in 2008, China could be nearer to the 8 per cent target.

The first challenge is obviously the US, one of China’s major export markets. In 2007, according to the US official figures, China replaced Canada to become the largest source of imports to the US valued at US$321.5 billion.

But the American economy may be in recession. And many economists wonder how serious it will be and how long the recession will last.

The US has a savings rate of virtually zero; its consumption was supported by an illusion of wealth.

But now more and more Americans owe more in mortgages than the real (current market) value of their homes. Worse, these people are about to pay more on their mortgages, as preferential rates come to an end. Delinquency and foreclosures can be expected and property prices will further drop, thus triggering a vicious cycle.

Some might argue that so far macro economic data only shows signs of a slowdown, not a recession. But you can really get a sense of economic fear from one person – Ben Bernanke, the Fed chairman.

In January, after having said that the sub-prime crisis was ‘containable’ for months, the Fed cut benchmark interest rate by 75 basis points (the biggest move in 23 years) just eight days ahead of a scheduled meeting. And on March 4, Mr Bernanke further urged banks to forgive a portion of mortgage principals.

As many pointed out, unlike the 2000-2001 US recession which was corporate dominated, this recession will be consumption led and therefore will have a much bigger impact on China. At the same time, the prospects for European Union, another important exports market for Chin a, will certainly not be as bright as it was. Facing domestic difficulties, the western world is very likely to practice protectionism and China may become its biggest target.

I project the contribution of net export to China’s GDP growth will be substantially lower this year than 2007.

As well, we are also witnessing the bursting of China’s own asset bubbles. On March 7, Shanghai Composite Index, covering both A and B shares listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange, closed at 4300.5, 30 per cent lower than the 6,124 historic high on Oct 16, 2007. At the same time, property, another bubble no smaller than the stock market, by and large remains intact.

Housing bubble set to burst

You might think that with improving living standard and fast urbanisation, the demand for property is huge in China. But the price is still be the biggest problem. People always see the booming  economy as the reason for a bull stock market, yet it is valuation that you have to look at the end of the day.

For a young couple with a combined monthly salary RMB 15,000 (the salary for fresh graduate is only about RMB 2000-3000), the price of a 70-year tenure apartment with a gross floor area of 120 square metres in a relatively good location in Beijing is equivalent to their 10-year combined salary. While the prices in second tier cities are lower, so are people’s wages.

At the same time, property has been playing a very important role in boosting the economy. In 2007, Chinese invested RMB 2854.3 billion in property, 32.2 per cent higher than 2006, accounting for about 25 per cent of China’s fixed asset investment in urban centres. It is also a hot spot for foreign investment. In 2007, utilised foreign direct investment (FDI) in real estate reached US$17.1 billion, more than double the figure the year earlier. It accounted for 22.7 per cent of China’s total utilised  FDI (excluding the financial sector).

But there are signs that the bubble is beginning to burst. Property brokers felt the pain first. Several high profile brokers have collapsed due to being overstretched and, more importantly, the reduced number of transactions.

Wang Shi, chairman of Vanke, the biggest listed property company in China, said earlier this year China’s property market had reached a turning point. Indeed, Vanke has started to offer price discounts for its housing projects in Guangdong, Chengdu, Shanghai and Beijing.

The world has witnessed a property boom in the past decade, and the collapse of the US housing bubble could trigger the falling of dominoes worldwide. The psychological impact of the collapse of the US property market on China cannot be underestimated. And measured by the relative values (and, in some cases, in absolute value), China’s property prices are even higher than in the US market.

Those who proclaimed ‘We are different’ as far as the stock market was concerned, have finally seen the law of gravity take hold. The property market is very likely to follow suit at some point.

When the bubble does burst, China’s investment growth will slow down greatly as it will influence not only property, but also the steel and the construction materials sector as well. Consequently, the country’s GDP growth will be further reduced.

Probably, China’s GDP growth will fall below 9 per cent this year, for the first time in seven years. But it is still a decent figure compared with the rest of the world.

The slowdown in the country’s exports growth should be a good reminder for China to attach more importance to how to improve product quality and add more value to its products. For instance, in 2007, China exported US$44.1 billion worth of steel products, which was the fourth most important export item by value. For a country facing growing resource shortages and environmental problems, to export steel products rather than more cars is stupid.

And more affordable housing generally will certainly better fit into Mr Hu’s ‘harmonious society’ concept.

Economists trim S’pore Q1 growth forecast to 5.7%

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

Q2 may see another dip before rebound kicks in; inflation likely to rise

 (SINGAPORE) Private sector economists have pared their forecasts of Singapore’s first quarter GDP growth to a median 5.7 per cent, from 7 per cent three months earlier.

Economic growth is then expected to dip below 5 per cent in Q2 and Q3 before rebounding in the final quarter for a year-round median of 5.6 per cent, according to forecasters polled by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The 19 economists who took part in the survey last month – soon after the 2007 economic results were released – trimmed their forecasts following slower than expected Q4 and 2007 figures.

The economy grew 5.4 per cent in Q4 – well below median forecasts of 7.7 per cent in the December 2007 poll. Year-round GDP growth was 7.7 per cent – also below market forecasts of about 8 per cent.

According to the latest poll findings, Singapore’s 2008 economic growth will ‘most likely’ come in between 5 and 5.9 per cent – a full point below the range most expected in the previous poll.

But apparently, not everyone is too bearish. Forecasts for Q1 growth actually hit 8.8 per cent at the top end and average 5.8 per cent, only one point above the lowest estimate.

The second quarter is expected to see the year’s lowest growth of around 4.4 per cent, before a pickup to 4.8 per cent in Q3 and 6.8 per cent in Q4, according to the median estimates.

Meanwhile, the 2008 consumer inflation rate is projected to rise to 5 per cent on average. Some economists see it hitting 7 per cent in Q1, with the median forecast a bit lower at 6.3 per cent.

As for the exchange rate, the forecasts see the Singapore dollar strengthening to 1.32 per US dollar by year-end, though the estimates centre around 1.38, close to the current rate.

Goldman Sachs’ view on the Singapore economy is probably fairly typical of the market’s at this point.

The investment bank’s regional economists recently cut their forecasts of Singapore’s 2008 GDP growth to 5.5 per cent, from 6.4 per cent, ‘on the back of increased external risks’, chiefly a global slowdown led by a US recession.

But they expect the domestic growth engine to keep ‘chugging along’, supported by easier monetary conditions and an expansionary fiscal stance.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Fed slap in market face won’t work this time

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008LAST Friday’s employment report – which was so weak that it had many economists declaring that the US is already in a recession – was bad news.

But it was actually less disturbing than what’s going on in the financial markets. The scariest thing I’ve read recently is a speech given last week by Tim Geithner, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Mr Geithner came as close as a Fed official can to saying that the US is in the midst of a financial meltdown.

To understand the gravity of the situation, you have to know what the Fed did last summer, and again last fall. As late as August, the favourite buzzword of financial officials was ‘contained’: problems in sub-prime mortgages, we were assured, wouldn’t spread to other financial markets or to the economy as a whole. Soon afterwards, however, a full-fledged financial panic began.

Investors pulled hundreds of billions of dollars out of asset-backed commercial paper, a littleknown but important market that has taken over a lot of the work banks used to do. This de facto bank run sent shock waves through the financial system. The Fed responded by rushing money to banks, and markets partially calmed down, for a little while. But by December the panic was back.

Again, the Fed responded by rushing money to banks, this time via a new arrangement called the Term Auction Facility. Again, the markets calmed down, for a while. But again, the respite was only temporary. Last month, another market you’ve never heard of, the US$300 billion market for auction-rate securities (don’t ask), suffered the equivalent of a bank run.

Last week, two big financial companies announced that they had been unable to raise the cash demanded by their lenders. Even Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the giant US government-sponsored mortgage agencies long regarded as safe places to put your money, are now having trouble attracting funds.

One consequence of the crisis is that while the Fed has been cutting the interest rate it controls – the so-called Fed funds rate – the rates that matter most directly to the economy, including rates on mortgages and corporate bonds, have been rising. And that’s sure to worsen the economic downturn.

What’s going on? Mr Geithner described a vicious circle in which banks and other market players who took on too much risk are all trying to get out of unsafe investments at the same time, causing ‘significant collateral damage to market functioning’. A report released last Friday by JPMorgan Chase was even more blunt. It described what’s happening as a ‘systemic margin call’, in which the whole financial system is facing demands to come up with cash it doesn’t have. The Fed’s latest plan to break this vicious circle is – as the financial website interfluidity.com cruelly but accurately describes it – to turn itself into Wall Street’s pawnbroker.

Banks that might have raised cash by selling assets will be encouraged, instead, to borrow money from the Fed, using the assets as collateral. In a worst-case scenario, the Federal Reserve would find itself owning around US$200 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities. Some observers worry that the Fed is taking over the banks’ financial risk. But what worries me more is that the move seems trivial compared with the size of the problem: US$200 billion may sound like a lot of money, but when you compare it with the size of the markets that are melting down – there are US$11 trillion in US mortgages outstanding – it’s a drop in the bucket.

The only way the Fed’s action could work is through the slap-in-the-face effect: by creating a pause in the selling frenzy, the Fed could give hysterical markets a chance to regain their sense of perspective. And to be fair, that has worked in the past. But slap-in-the-face only works if the market’s problems are mainly a matter of psychology. And given that the Fed has already slapped the market in the face twice, only to see the financial crisis come roaring back, that’s hard to believe.

The third time could be the charm. But I doubt it. Soon, we’ll probably have to do something real about reducing the risks investors face.

A plan to restore the credibility of municipal bond insurance would be a start (how crazy is it that New York State, rather than the federal government, is taking the lead here?). I also suspect that the feds will have to get explicit about guaranteeing the debt of Fannie and Freddie, which really are too big to fail.

Nobody wants to put taxpayers on the hook for the financial industry’s follies; we can all hope that, in the end, a bailout won’t be necessary. But hope is not a plan. — NYT

Investments push S’pore growth again

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

But the biggest problem facing policy-makers is inflation; if it doesn’t stabilise, we may see more drastic steps

SINGAPORE has enjoyed exceptionally strong and stable gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the last few years. For many years after 1997, Singapore’s economy had suffered volatile growth even as it was buffeted by a series of shocks – the Asian crisis, the bursting of the information technology (IT) bubble and then the Sars episode.

None of them was of Singapore’s making but the city-state suffered sharp downturns in each case. It may seem that a small, open economy like Singapore’s cannot avoid being hurt by external shocks.

However, Singapore had enjoyed prolonged periods of high-growth prior to 1997 and had seemed immune to these shocks. What changed after the Asian crisis?

In our view, the big change was in the role of domestic investment activity. Prior to 1997, Singapore relied heavily on high rates of investment that were sustained over decades. This was key to the  citystate’s strategy of continuously moving up the value chain – from a British naval base to a low-end manufacturing and shipping hub, and then to a major electronics producer.

The last model broke down in the late 1990s. For many years after the Asian crisis, the city-state floundered for a new strategy and investment activity became erratic. Consumption demand was in no position to compensate, with consumers worried about falling asset values and an uncertain environment.

The lack of a domestic demand dynamic meant that exports became the mainstay and, as shown in the chart opposite (see Chart 1), the economy became susceptible to external shocks.

All this has now changed as Singapore’s government and business leaders have set themselves to the task of transforming it into Asia’s ‘Global City’.

As a result, we are now seeing enormous investment projects that include the two integrated resorts, the Formula One circuit, the Gardens by the Bay, the new business district, additional MRT lines, the Orchard Road upgrade and so on.

Residential investment too has picked up as the city prepares for an accelerated pace of immigration.

Thus, in 2007, we saw fixed investment rise by 20.2 per cent which in turn drove the 7.7 per cent increase in GDP even as net exports slowed.

Note that private consumption plays a passive role with its share continuing to fall (38 per cent of GDP in 2007 compared to 45 per cent in 2001). Thus domestic demand is driven largely by swings in fixed investment.

So what does Singapore invest in? In 2007, residential construction rose 26 per cent, non-residential construction went up by 44 per cent, investment in transportation jumped 30 per cent and machinery rose 10 per cent.

In other words, Singapore is still investing in manufacturing but the focus has shifted towards  creating a 21st century commercial/intellectual hub for Asia.

Looking ahead, most of the projects mentioned above are likely to run for at least another two years.

Most of them are fully funded and are likely to continue, irrespective of external events.

There have been press reports that Singapore is facing a credit squeeze that may jeopardise some projects. We see no sign of this with bank credit expanding at over 20 per cent year on year (see Chart 2).

It is possible that some people have not been able to access money but, given the explosive growth in loans, it can hardly be due to the reluctance of banks to expand.

It probably just reflects the strong demand for funds rather than the lack of supply. Thus, we feel that investment momentum will remain strong in 2008.

However, as we also expect exports to weaken due to the faltering US economy, we forecast that GDP growth will slow to 5.8 per cent this year; still a very strong level.

Despite our expectation that growth will slow in 2008, the biggest problem facing policy-makers is inflation. Consumer price inflation jumped to 6.6 per cent year on year in January. As shown in the chart above ( see Chart 3), this is an unprecedented level for this traditionally low-inflation country.

Housing-related costs have jumped especially high, but most other categories are also seeing large increases. This is now a major political issue and is being hotly debated in the media. So, will inflation naturally decline as growth slows?

In our view, slower growth in Singapore and in the world may take off some of the inflationary edge by the middle of 2008, but there is a more fundamental domestic problem. The economy is currently running at full capacity. The unemployment rate is down to 1.6 per cent (see Chart 4) which is the lowest since the Asian crisis.

Similarly, the office occupancy rate has jumped from 82 per cent in December 2003 (see Chart 5) to 93 per cent in December 2007, again levels not seen since 1997.

Thus, a GDP growth rate of 5.8 per cent is good enough to keep inflation on the boil. In a sense, this is the flip side of the investment boom that we are witnessing now.

Singapore’s government is well known for its ‘supply-side’ approach to policy-making.

Characteristically, much of the response to the inflation pressure has been in terms of allowing faster population growth through immigration, encouraging more construction and so on.

Eventually these will expand capacity to keep up with growth. However, there is a more immediate need for a cyclical policy response. This has come in two ways.

First, the postponement of some large long-term public projects. Second and more importantly, the willingness to allow the Singapore dollar to appreciate at a faster pace. At the time of writing, the Singapore dollar stood at 1.39 to the US dollar. We expect it to hit 1.35 in less than six months.

If inflation still does not stabilise, we feel that we may see more drastic steps that may include a lowering of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which has been hiked to 7 per cent.

The writer is chief economist for Deutsche Bank AG in Hong Kong

Investors eye real estate after tough 2007

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

Asian property and niche sectors are attracting assets

(LONDON) Many investors in alternative assets plan to invest more in real estate after poor returns from the sector in 2007, a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey showed yesterday.

John Forbes, UK real estate leader at PwC, said some investors had been lured back to UK property after prices fell sharply.

Growth areas such as Asian property and niche sectors such as student housing were also attracting assets, he said.

PwC’s global survey, which polled 226 institutional investors and alternative investment providers in the fourth quarter of 2007, showed a gross 41 per cent of investors plan to increase real estate allocations over the next three years.

That compares with 40 per cent for private equity, 35 per cent for commodities and 33 per cent for hedge funds.

However, 21 per cent of investors planned to reduce their allocations to real estate, compared with  6 per cent for hedge funds, 15 per cent for commodities and 11 per cent for private equity.

Forbes said: ‘UK real estate capital values are down perhaps 20 to 25 per cent from the top of the market. For some types of investors that will discourage them.

‘But for opportunistic investors, who have been out of the UK market for the past two to three years, the UK is starting to look cheap so they are coming back.’

UK commercial property delivered a total return, which combines rental income and capital growth, of -3.4 per cent in 2007, as the credit crisis bit and investor sentiment soured.

The survey also showed less than half of respondents were satisfied with the performance of hedge funds, while nearly a fifth were dissatisfied.

That compares with private equity, where two- thirds were satisfied and only 7 per cent dissatisfied, or real estate, where 57 per cent were happy with performance and 11 per cent unhappy.

The survey follows a strong year for hedge funds. According to Credit Suisse/Tremont they returned 12.56 per cent in 2007.

Rob Mellor, UK financial services tax leader at PwC, said hedge funds had to become better at managing investor expectations and explaining how they achieved returns, especially when conditions turn.

Some may have feared the credit crisis would hit hedge fund returns harder than it eventually did, he said\. \– Reuters

Ophir-Rochor corridor site to be marketed in France

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

THE Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will market the first site in the new Ophir-Rochor corridor at the ‘Marche International des Professionals de L’Immobilier’ (MIPIM), a premier international property event in Cannes, France.

The site will be launched for sale under the Confirmed List of the Government Land Sales Programme in June.

In a statement yesterday, URA said the 2.74-hectare parcel is at Rochor Road/Ophir Road, adjacent to Parkview Square.

It also said the developer will have to include a minimum amount of office and hotel space to cater to the growth of Singapore’s financial and business services sector and tourism.

Depending on market demand, URA will release more redevelopment sites in the Ophir-Rochor area over the next five to 10 years. URA will be exhibiting plans for development of the Ophir-Rochor corridor at MIPIM Cannes.

A team led by URA, and comprising public sector agencies and private companies, will showcase investment opportunities, including key recent and upcoming developments, at the Singapore Pavilion.

‘With some of the most prominent upcoming developments and strategic sale sites that Singapore has to offer in Marina Bay and Ophir-Rochor, I am confident we will continue to attract international investors,’ said URA’s director of land administration Choy Chan Pong.

Besides plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor, URA will exhibit plans for the extension of the existing financial district at Marina Bay.

As part of the plan to rejuvenate and grow the existing Central Business District, URA has released more plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor to complement the Marina Bay area, featuring mixed-use developments with offices, hotels, residential and other complementary facilities in a park-like environment.

It is expected to be developed over the next 10 to 15 years.

Opportunistic investors recoil from Asia property

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

They see more scope for picking up cheaper properties in US, Europe; loans in Japan tougher

(HONG KONG) Opportunistic investors are pulling back from Asian property because they see more scope for picking up distressed assets in the United States and Europe, and loans are harder to get in Japan, one of their favourite markets.

Hedge funds have stopped dabbling in property in the region, fund managers say. And although private equity players will continue to develop property in India and China, they are more likely to buy buildings on the cheap in the West than in Asia.

‘Six months ago, it was quite straightforward. We didn’t have to answer questions about why to invest in Asia,’ Guy Cawthra, Asia fund strategist at Morley Fund Managers, told a recent conference in Hong Kong. ‘Now investors say ‘we might not want to invest in Asia; we want to invest in Europe, the UK and the US’.’

In the wake of the 1997-98 economic crisis, Asia – in particular, Japan and South Korea – drew a raft of investment from funds run by the likes of Morgan Stanley, General Electric and private equity firms such as Carlyle Group .

Many made fat profits on a revival by Asian property markets, which are now mostly strong because of a shortage of new supply and still buoyant economies.

Researchers at consultants Jones Lang LaSalle forecast Tokyo office prices will steady this year after a 28 per cent jump in 2007, while Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai are still on the up.

Better opportunities now lie elsewhere for investors who think they can spot a market trough and  ride a recovery.

Because of tight credit and a worsening economy, US commercial real estate values could fall by 20 per cent in the next five years from their 2007 peak, JPMorgan analysts forecast, causing losses of about US$120 billion, including on commercial mortgage-backed securities.

London office values have dropped 12 per cent from a peak in the middle of last year, and they will be pressured further by forecasts of a 10 per cent decline in rental values through 2009.

‘I think a lot of investors will return to home markets,’ said Bart Coenraads, head of real estate at Fortis Investments. ‘Some will try to buy distressed core and refinance it. They could make good returns.’

Last year, total direct investment in the Asia-Pacific region jumped 27 per cent to US$121 billion – a sixth of the global total – with about half invested in Japan, which has been popular for its rock- bottom interest rates.

However, Japanese banks are getting cold feet on property, analysts say, giving loans worth only 60- 70 per cent of a building’s value, compared to 80-90 per cent a couple of years ago.

Lower debt gearing is likely to crimp returns for equity investors. But having spent years setting up teams, private equity funds are unlikely to withdraw completely from Asia, said Tim Bellman, global head of strategy for ING Real Estate.

Many, such as Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds, no longer see themselves as ‘opportunistic’, and are in Asia for the long haul.

‘Funds have been raised and platforms are set up, and they don’t want to unwind them overnight,’ Mr Bellman said. ‘But at the margin, opportunistic investors who looked at Asia are finding those opportunities back home.’

Morgan Stanley is building housing in China and taking stakes in Indian developers in a high-risk, high-return strategy. But the US investment bank also bought the Tokyo headquarters of Citigroup last month, indicating it is still interested in ‘core’ assets that are low risk but give modest returns\. \–Reuters

Rising market pressures may trigger third wave of credit crisis

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

Nervous investors hanging on to pronouncements of central bankers

(LONDON) Tight money markets and tumbling stocks and the US dollar are expected to increase worries for investors this week as pressure mounts on central banks facing what looks like the third wave of a global credit crisis.

Last week, money markets tightened to levels not seen since December, when year-end funding problems pushed lending costs higher across the board.

In response, the Federal Reserve unveiled new measures to ease liquidity strains on Friday – injecting US$200 billion into the banking system – and said that it was in close consultation with central bank counterparts.

However, the Fed failed to lift the mood much. Investors, keen to see if any further plan is in the works to prevent a financial market seizure, will scrutinise words from key central bankers including Fed officials this week.

‘It’s another round of the credit crisis. Some markets are getting worse than January this time,’ said Jesper Fischer-Nielsen, interest rate strategist at Danske Bank in Copenhagen. ‘There is fear that something dramatic will happen and that fear is feeding itself. Central banks have shown great resolve to try to solve the problems (on money markets) and I’m sure they will do again.’

Philipp Hildebrand, vice-chairman of the Swiss National Bank, warned last week that the world might be in a new, more dangerous phase of the crisis.

If that is the case, the latest wave is the third one.

The first round began in August when interbank lending dried up as banks realised they did not know which was dangerously exposed to the meltdown in the US sub-prime mortgage market.

Then, late last year, pressure intensified again in the money markets – after some of the world’s biggest banks began writing off colossal sums of money – prompting top central banks to inject billions of dollars into the system.

Renewed problems in the credit market – including fears that US mortgage lender Thornburg might go bankrupt and acute cash flow problems at a Dutch fund – and concerns over slowing world growth led to a sell-off in stocks last week.

World stocks, as measured by MSCI, fell more than 3 per cent on the week while the dollar lost more than one per cent to hit record lows against a basket of six major currencies at one point last week.

Also reflecting investor jitters, two-year US Treasury yields hit a four-year low below 1.5 per cent as investors flocked to government bonds.

The cost of corporate bond insurance hit record high levels on Friday and parts of the debt market are also getting hit.

‘A funding freeze by lenders, that appears already in progress, could cause first-round casualties in Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Greece and Austria, countries collectively identified as the euro zone liability group,’ a UBS note said.

The G-10 policymakers came up with a cash injection plan late last year, with the top five central banks injecting liquidity into banks.

However, after weeks of calm, stress is building up again in money markets.

‘The level of financial stress is . . . likely to continue to fuel speculation of more immediate central bank action either in the form of increased liquidity injections or an early rate cut,’ Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients\. \– Reuters

URA sets aside more land for offices

Business Times – 11 Mar 2008

(SINGAPORE) Singapore will provide more land for offices as part of a strategy to strengthen its position as an Asian financial centre, the government’s real estate planning agency said yesterday.

‘The new growth area set aside for the seamless extension of the existing financial district … will be more than twice the size of London’s Canary Wharf,’ the city-state’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said in a statement.

‘Over a span of more than 15 years, the development of the 85-hectare site identified for extension of the existing financial district will see the addition of around 2.82 million square metres of office space,’ it added.

Demand for office space in Singapore has grown strongly in the past three years, spurred by the growth in financial services, in particular private banking.

According to URA data, office rents soared 56 per cent last year as demand for office space rose by an average of 260,000 square metres per annum over the last three years – a 60 per cent increase from the historical average of 160,000 square metres a year.

Foreign direct investment in Singapore’s real estate was S$14.4 billion in 2007, compared to S$6.7 billion in 2006, the agency said.

Singapore is currently developing the Marina Bay Financial Centre on reclaimed land south of the existing central business district. It has also offered sites to the east and west of the business district.

The city-state, with a population of 4.6 million, has expanded its land area by more than 10 per cent since independence in 1965 through reclamation from the sea.

Developers involved in the Marina Bay project include Hong Kong developers Cheung Kong and Hongkong Land, as well as Singapore-based Keppel Land.-Reuters

Source: Business Times

Kuwait fund pulls out of bulk purchase of high-end homes

March 11, 2008

It allows options for 97 condo units at Goodwood Residence to lapse

A KUWAIT bank fund that agreed in December to buy 97 units at posh Goodwood Residence for $818.4 million has let the purchase option lapse.

Kuwait Finance House has given no reason for the move, which could result in the firm having to pay developer GuocoLand multimillion-dollar penalties.

It could also be the first time a foreign institutional investor in Singapore has pulled out of such a deal, raising concerns that the property market, already hit by weaker sentiment, may be heading into a downturn.

‘While the current market is cautiously optimistic, news of such a pullout might cause it to turn more cautious,’ said Cushman and Wakefield managing director Donald Han.

GuocoLand did not provide a direct reason for the lapse but said in a statement yesterday that the private residential market in Singapore appears cautious.

The developer also said it is in talks with Kuwait Finance House, an Islamic investment bank, with ‘a view to a grant of fresh options for units in the development’.

The firm declined to comment further, citing ongoing talks. Kuwait Finance House also declined comment for the same reason.

Kuwait Finance House’s huge deal was for 97 four-bedders ranging from 2,500 sq ft to 3,900 sq ft at the former Casa Rosita site in Bukit Timah Road, near Newton Circus.

The condo has 210 freehold units on a large 24,845 sq m site fronting Goodwood Hill. The Kuwait fund’s purchase would have been the single-largest purchase of residential units under construction in Singapore.

Kuwait Finance House had agreed to buy the units at a median price of $3,200 per sq ft (psf), which would have set price benchmarks for the area. Industry sources said the price was way too high, considering that bulk purchases typically come with a discount.

‘If it were to have bought at an average of, say, $2,700 psf last December, it would still be a record for the Newton Circus area,’ said an industry source who declined to be named.

‘If it had held on for 15 to 20 years and leased the units for up to a 5 per cent yield, it may have been able to justify the deal. But if it had wanted to buy and sell, why didn’t it bargain for a rock-bottom price as the property had not been launched?’

It is believed that Kuwait Finance House was keen on flipping the units as they were marketed in Dubai recently, but the sale campaign was unsuccessful.

Another industry source, who declined to be named, said: ‘The pullout may be due to the terms of the deal. The buyer could have realised that it had bought at a higher-than-expected price, had problems flipping the units and wanted to cut its losses. ‘It could also reflect the current market and the possibility that the property market may stagnate in the next two to three years.’

The stale market appeared to have led GuocoLand to put off the launch of Goodwood Residence, scheduled initially for the first quarter.

Many developers are following suit, delaying launches until keen interest returns to the sector, which is in the doldrums with buyers and sellers staying on the sidelines.

A GuocoLand spokesman said: ‘We would be tapping selected overseas markets when we decide to launch Goodwood Residence at a later date.’

It added in its statement that the expiry of the options will not have any material financial effect on its net tangible assets per share or earnings per share for the financial year ending June 30.

Source: The Straits Times

Property investors set sights on market trough in US, Europe

March 11, 2008

HONG KONG – OPPORTUNISTIC investors are pulling back from Asian property because they see more scope for picking up distressed assets in the United States and Europe.

Hedge funds have stopped dabbling in property in the region, fund managers say.

Although private equity firms will continue to develop property in India and China, they are more likely to buy buildings on the cheap in the West than in Asia.

In the wake of the economic crisis from 1997- 1998, Asia, in particular Japan and South Korea, drew a raft of investment from funds run by the likes of Morgan Stanley, General Electric and private equity firms such as the Carlyle Group.

Many have made fat profits on a revival by Asian property markets, which are now mostly strong.

Researchers at Jones Lang LaSalle forecast Tokyo office prices will steady this year after a 28 per cent jump last year, while Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai are still on the up.

Better opportunities, however, now lie elsewhere for investors who think they can spot a market trough.

Because of tight credit and a worsening economy, US commercial real estate values could fall by 20 per cent in the next five years from their peak last year.

London office values have dropped 12 per cent from a peak in the middle of last year, and they will be pressured further by forecasts of a 10 per cent decline in rental values through next year.

‘I think a lot of investors will return to home markets,’ said Mr Bart Coenraads, head of real estate at Fortis Investments.

‘Some will try to buy distressed core and refinance it. They could make good returns.’

Last year, total direct investment in the Asia-Pacific region jumped 27 per cent to US$121 billion (S$167.8 billion) – a sixth of the global total – with about half invested in Japan, which has been popular for its rock-bottom interest rates.

However, Japanese banks are getting cold feet on property, only giving loans worth 60 per cent to 70 per cent of a building’s value, compared to 80 per cent to 90 per cent years earlier.

But having spent years setting up teams, private equity funds are unlikely to withdraw completely from Asia.

‘Funds have been raised and platforms are set up, and they don’t want to unwind them overnight,’ said Mr Tim Bellman, global head of strategy for ING Real Estate.

‘But at the margin, opportunistic investors who looked at Asia are finding those opportunities back home.’

REUTERS

Source: The Straits Times

China faces ‘very severe’ unemployment

20m new jobseekers expected every year: labour minister

(BEIJING) China’s labour minister yesterday admitted that the booming economy faced a ‘very severe’ unemployment situation as millions of new jobseekers join the market every year.

The flood of new entrants in both urban and rural areas will continue for a long time, labour and social security minister Tian Chengping told a briefing here.

‘The employment situation that we’re currently facing is very severe,’ he told journalists. ‘The main reason is that 20 million new jobseekers emerge every year in the countryside and in the cities. This will continue for a very long time.’

Mr Tian said that measures to deal with the problem included encouraging more start-ups and providing retraining for workers with outdated skills.

Earlier last week, Premier Wen Jiabao called for more measures to boost employment, saying that the urban jobless rate should be kept below 4.5 per cent in 2008, compared with a 4.6 per cent target last year.

‘We must redouble our efforts to increase employment, a matter that is crucial to people’s well-being,’ Mr Wen told Parliament in his annual work report, the Chinese equivalent to the US president’s State of the Union address.

Unemployment and inflation are the two top priorities for Chinese policy makers, because they affect, or threaten to affect, a large proportion of the population.

The main reason the government is targeting at least 8 per cent growth every year is to ensure that enough new jobs will be created to avoid social unrest.

Compounding the problem, there is no clear picture of the extent of the jobless issue, as Chinese unemployment statistics are notoriously unreliable, and probably higher than the 4 per cent reported for the end of 2007.

They tend to understate the true scale of the problem by, for instance, not counting rural unemployment or workers laid off from state-owned enterprises. – AFP

Source: Business Times 10 Mar 08

Inflation likely to have hit 8.3% in Feb: Bank of China

Reports of bank’s estimate trigger speculation of interest rate hike

(BEIJING) China’s inflation likely hit a new 11-year high of 8.3 per cent last month on the back of rising food prices, state media reported yesterday, triggering speculation of a modest hike in interest rates.

Severe winter weather which crippled transport networks, and the Chinese New Year festival which traditionally brings a surge in demand, were also seen as helping to drive up the price of food and other basic commodities.

The estimate of 8.3 per cent was given by the Bank of China, the country’s second largest lender, and reported by the state news agency Xinhua.

It came ahead of tomorrow’s publication of official inflation data from the National Bureau of statistics, which is used by authorities to decide whether to tighten monetary policy.

The consumer price index (CPI) had already risen 7.1 per cent in January from a year earlier, the highest since September 1996.

‘Everybody knows it’s going to be more than 8 per cent in February. Logically, February’s CPI must be higher than January’s,’ said Chen Xingdong, Beijing-based chief economist with BNP Paribas Asia.

In its report, the Bank of China said that February’s increase in the CPI was fuelled mainly by food, which rose more than 22 per cent from a year earlier, according to Xinhua.

‘It is making things worse . . . when people expect prices to keep rising, they will spend more to avoid those future rises, which in turn will push prices up,’ it reported, quoting the bank.

The effect of the freezing weather across much of China was first felt in January, but the main impact was in February, BNP Paribas Asia’s Mr Chen argued.

Chinese New Year, the biggest consumption festival of the Chinese calendar, also came in February, adding upward pressure on the price of everything from firecrackers to plane tickets. China’s inflation is seen as triggered mainly by the relative scarcity of basic products, such as pork and other staple food items.

According to observers, this leaves economic policymakers with a dilemma when opting for the right response, even though the central bank governor said last week that there was ‘definitely room’ for more interest rate hikes.

If he does raise interest rates – the classic response to rising inflation – he could deter producers of these basic commodities, so making the problem worse.

Another problem is that since early 2007, China has hiked its interest rates six times, while the US Federal Reserve has steadily lowered them. As a result, the spread between the two has widened dramatically, with the benchmark US federal funds rate now at 3 per cent compared with 7.47 per cent for China’s one-year lending rate.

Chinese policymakers fear that a big gap between Chinese and US rates will attract more speculative funds into the economy. – AFP

Source: Business Times 10 Mar 08

India losing its status as world’s top outsourcing hub

China, Morocco and EEurope among new locations for global IT services providers

INDIA’S position as the No. 1 low-cost outsourcing destination is under threat, with China, Morocco and eastern European nations such as Hungary emerging as the sought-after locations by nformation technology (IT) services providers, a recent study has shown.

The study by Pierre Audoin Consultants has highlighted these new locations of choice to set up offshore sourcing centres. PAC is a European market research and strategic consulting firm.

According to the study, since January 2007, Britain’s 20 largest IT services suppliers have launched 21 new global delivery centres. However, only two of them are situated in India.

Four facilities were set up in China, while eastern Europe and Morocco had three each, the study added. The aim is to broad-base operations and not rely on one geographical location.

Although China has been slow to emerge as a global sourcing hub due to language barriers, the report found that BT Global Services, EDS, IBM and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have set up sourcing facilities in the country in the past 18 months.

‘India’s position as the premier low-cost IT sourcing centre is not under serious threat in the near term.

But what we are seeing is vendors (are) looking to reduce their reliability on India’s heated labour market,’ Nick Mayes, a senior consultant at Pierre Audoin Consultants, said.

In India itself, there is a movement away from the traditional IT hot spots of Bangalore and Mumbai, the study said, with this perhaps due to rising costs of operations.

IBM has set up its new centre in Delhi suburb Noida, while TCS’ expansion site has come up in Hyderabad.

While rising wages, a shrinking manpower pool and the appreciating rupee are some of the problem areas that outsourcing firms have to face in India, it is also true that the country’s position as the world’s top tech destination for outsourcing will take some beating.

Software body the National Association of Software and Service Companies has estimated that total software and services revenues should rise more than 33 per cent to reach US$64 billion in financial year 2007-2008. Software exports have been estimated to rise 28 per cent to cross US$40 billion.

Indian IT firms are looking at newer income streams from Europe and Japan to move away from dependence on the US, given the depreciating dollar.

Source: Business Times 10 Mar 08

When will market slide reach bottom?

Dow, S&P still remain above bear market threshold despite plunge

(NEW YORK) Recession may well be here, given the dismal February employment report last Friday. But on Wall Street, many investors still are having a hard time deciding how worried they should be.

The Dow Jones industrial average slid 146.70 points, or 1.2 per cent, to 11,893.69 for the day, falling through the low of 11,971 it set on Jan 22 and finishing at its weakest point in 17 months.

Yet, by the classic measure of a bear market – a drop of at least 20 per cent in share prices – the Dow is a holdout: It is down 16 per cent from its record high reached in October.

The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index also remains above the bear- market threshold, despite mounting evidence of recession. It has lost 17.4 per cent from its October peak.

These numbers are handy enough for gauging the damage done. But what every investor would like to know is: How much worse will it get? If you figure that a 17.4 per cent drop in the S&P 500 is just a prelude to a loss of 40 per cent by the time the market’s sell-off has run its course, you might well opt to take some money off the table and wait it out.

You know what you’re going to hear from much of Wall Street at a time like this.

Brenton Luce, a portfolio manager at hedge fund Lakefront Partners in Cleveland, writes on his blog that investment pros’ usual advice to clients in down markets is to ‘stay long-term focused’. That, he notes, ‘is code for ‘Yes, we have lost you a bunch of money lately. But we hope that the market turns positive soon and we hope that you stick with us until this happens’.’

It wouldn’t be surprising if the blue-chip stocks in the Dow and the S&P 500 were the last refuge for investors who have given up on other sectors of the market. Smaller stocks, for example, now are in bear-market territory, with the Russell 2,000 index of small-company issues off 22.9 per cent from its all-time high set in July.

Still, you might have expected a lot worse, given the trauma in the financial system from the housing bust and its collateral damage.

The credit crunch stemming from banks’ massive losses on delinquent home loans is showing few signs of un-crunching. Money remains very tight, and money is what financial markets need to move up.

The stock market’s slide last week was fuelled in part by worries about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government- sponsored mortgage- finance giants that are supposed to help stabilise the housing market by stepping up their purchases of home loans. The companies’ stocks fell last week to their lowest levels in 12 years, and some investors became reluctant to buy their mortgage-backed bonds, which – in theory – are of the highest-quality.

That might have been too much for the Federal Reserve to brook. Last Friday, the central bank announced a major expansion of its emergency lending programme for banks, aiming to ease the credit squeeze.

Some market pros said that investors’ mood might actually improve if Fed officials and the White House would stop talking as if recession were avoidable.

Despite the credit markets’ continued deterioration, some money managers are betting that the stock market won’t get much worse.

A bottom ‘isn’t that far away’, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. He figured that the S&P 500 could fall another 5 per cent or so, which would take it modestly over the 20 per cent loss mark.

Source: LAT-WP (Business Times 10 Mar 08)

Punggol River set for big change

Work starts on $7.13m project to create reservoir park with man-made island by 2010

WORK to transform the Punggol River into a scenic reservoir park, complete with a man-made island, got off the ground yesterday.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was at the official opening of the adjoining Anchorvale Community Club in Sengkang, symbolically released the first piece of the floating island – a clump of soil and grass – into the water.

For its design, the $7.13 million project will draw inspiration from a nearby fruit park being developed by the National Parks Board. Its pavilions will be shaped like mangosteens and its benches, like limes.

Work will be completed by 2010.

Punggol River is the first of five sites to be improved this year under the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters programme.

Launched by national water agency PUB in 2006, the $200 million programme is an ambitious island-wide revamp of 28 waterways.

The aim is to rejuvenate Singapore’s drainage and water-supply infrastructure, including the canals and reservoirs, and turn it into a scenic network of streams, rivers and lakes where people can enjoy water activities and even commute.

Giving a preview of the projects during the Budget debate a fortnight ago, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim said, for example, that the Lower Seletar Reservoir would sport a heritage bridge, featuring story panels which will tell of the area’s kampung history.

Work on the pilot projects of Kolam Ayer and the Bedok and MacRitchie reservoirs is in its final phases and will be unveiled this year.

‘With these projects, we hope to bring waterfront living to the heartland, improve the quality of our living environment and enhance property values,’ said Dr Yaacob.

Source: The Straits Times 10 Mar 08

PROPERTY: Demand for single office units still going strong in quiet market

Investors turn more cautious, but small firms still interested in strata-titled officesALL has turned quiet on the housing front, but some other segments of the property market appear to have escaped that fate.

Still going strong in particular are sales of single office units in larger commercial buildings. Known as strata-titled offices, these properties recorded active demand in the fourth quarter last year, even as home sales were taking a breather.

A healthy 13 transactions of strata offices occurred between October and December, up from only five in the previous quarter, according to data from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

Most of the properties were in the city area – Suntec City, Tong Building in Orchard Road, Springleaf Tower in Anson Road – and changed hands at well above $2,000 per sq ft (psf), CBRE said.

Altogether, $750.8 million worth of strata offices were sold in the fourth quarter, bringing the total for last year to $1.7 billion – more than four times the figure for 2006.

Prices also rose solidly throughout the year. At Suntec City Tower 1, a favourite strata-office location, unit prices climbed about 50 per cent from just above $1,500 psf in January to almost $2,400 psf in December – the highest level in two years.

The steady take-up of single units is due largely to the wider boom in Singapore’s office market. A shortage of offices, even as expanding businesses push up demand for space, has boosted prices and rents across the board, drawing much interest from investors, said CBRE’s executive director of investment properties, Mr Jeremy Lake.

But in recent months, even investor demand for offices has slowed as the United States sub-prime mortgage problems spread and sentiment in the market grew more cautious.

This has hit sales of entire office buildings, but strata offices have been less affected, said Mr Shaun Poh, a senior director of investment advisory services and auctions at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung.

He attributes this to the smaller businesses that are the other main source of demand for single office units. These businesses plan to occupy the space themselves rather than lease it out for rental income.

‘Smaller units, of the $1 million to $3 million variety, are more digestible for some buyers,’ he said. ‘They appeal to end-users who are moving from renting to buying now that rents have risen so fast.’

DTZ is marketing a floor of offices at Peninsula Plaza near the City Hall area, consisting of six strata units with a total floor area of about 8,500 sq ft. The units are tenanted at about $4 psf, but rents in the building have moved up to between $7 and $8 psf, said Mr Poh.

The indicative price for the floor is $17.5 million, or about $2,050 psf. At this price, with a projected $7.50 psf rental, the net yield works out to about 4 per cent, he added.

Since the property went on the market earlier this week, DTZ has received ‘more than 10 enquiries’, Mr Poh said.

‘Some are investors looking to buy the whole floor, but we’ve also seen interest from end-users in electronics or shipping firms who are interested in buying just one or two units.’

In general, however, experts feel that strata-office sales might not be as strong in the first quarter of this year as last year.

Colliers International has not yet sold any strata offices at auction this year, after selling one a month between October and December. In December, a 3,003 sq ft unit was sold at United House, for a healthy $2,497 psf.

But Mr Poh said that, while sales might slow, prices are unlikely to fall any time soon.

‘Prices have not gone up, but neither have they come down,’ he said.

‘If they can be maintained in such an environment, and if things get a bit more optimistic, prices could even go up 10 to 20 per cent over the next year.’

Source: The Straits Times 9 Mar 08

PROPERTY: Demand for single office units still going strong in quiet market

Investors turn more cautious, but small firms still interested in strata-titled offices

ALL has turned quiet on the housing front, but some other segments of the property market appear to have escaped that fate.

Still going strong in particular are sales of single office units in larger commercial buildings. Known as strata-titled offices, these properties recorded active demand in the fourth quarter last year, even as home sales were taking a breather.

A healthy 13 transactions of strata offices occurred between October and December, up from only five in the previous quarter, according to data from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

Most of the properties were in the city area – Suntec City, Tong Building in Orchard Road, Springleaf Tower in Anson Road – and changed hands at well above $2,000 per sq ft (psf), CBRE said.

Altogether, $750.8 million worth of strata offices were sold in the fourth quarter, bringing the total for last year to $1.7 billion – more than four times the figure for 2006.

Prices also rose solidly throughout the year. At Suntec City Tower 1, a favourite strata-office location, unit prices climbed about 50 per cent from just above $1,500 psf in January to almost $2,400 psf in December – the highest level in two years.

The steady take-up of single units is due largely to the wider boom in Singapore’s office market. A shortage of offices, even as expanding businesses push up demand for space, has boosted prices and rents across the board, drawing much interest from investors, said CBRE’s executive director of investment properties, Mr Jeremy Lake.

But in recent months, even investor demand for offices has slowed as the United States sub-prime mortgage problems spread and sentiment in the market grew more cautious.

This has hit sales of entire office buildings, but strata offices have been less affected, said Mr Shaun Poh, a senior director of investment advisory services and auctions at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung.

He attributes this to the smaller businesses that are the other main source of demand for single office units. These businesses plan to occupy the space themselves rather than lease it out for rental income.

‘Smaller units, of the $1 million to $3 million variety, are more digestible for some buyers,’ he said. ‘They appeal to end-users who are moving from renting to buying now that rents have risen so fast.’

DTZ is marketing a floor of offices at Peninsula Plaza near the City Hall area, consisting of six strata units with a total floor area of about 8,500 sq ft. The units are tenanted at about $4 psf, but rents in the building have moved up to between $7 and $8 psf, said Mr Poh.

The indicative price for the floor is $17.5 million, or about $2,050 psf. At this price, with a projected $7.50 psf rental, the net yield works out to about 4 per cent, he added.

Since the property went on the market earlier this week, DTZ has received ‘more than 10 enquiries’, Mr Poh said.

‘Some are investors looking to buy the whole floor, but we’ve also seen interest from end-users in electronics or shipping firms who are interested in buying just one or two units.’

In general, however, experts feel that strata-office sales might not be as strong in the first quarter of this year as last year.

Colliers International has not yet sold any strata offices at auction this year, after selling one a month between October and December. In December, a 3,003 sq ft unit was sold at United House, for a healthy $2,497 psf.

But Mr Poh said that, while sales might slow, prices are unlikely to fall any time soon.

‘Prices have not gone up, but neither have they come down,’ he said.

‘If they can be maintained in such an environment, and if things get a bit more optimistic, prices could even go up 10 to 20 per cent over the next year.’

Source: The Straits Times 9 Mar 08

US employers cut 63,000 jobs in February

Payroll data indicate that probability of recession is more than 50 per cent

(WASHINGTON) US employers cut payrolls for a second straight month during February, slashing 63,000 jobs for the biggest monthly decline in nearly five years as the nation’s labour markets weakened steadily, a government report yesterday showed.

The Labor Department said that last month’s cut followed an upwardly revised loss of 22,000 jobs in January rather than the 17,000 reported a month ago. It also said that only 41,000 jobs were created in December, half the 82,000 originally reported.

‘This confirms the fears that have been lurking in the financial markets in recent weeks. The

probability of a US recession is at more than 50 per cent,’ said Richard DeKaser, chief economist for National City Corp in Cleveland.

‘The Fed has to be more aggressive,’ he added. The US central bank is expected to cut interest rates again later this month and yesterday, just before the payrolls report became public, announced new measures to add liquidity to severely strained credit markets that are near seizing up.

The Federal announced that it was increasing the amount of money it will auction to banks this month to US$100 billion. It will make two moves to increase liquidity in the credit markets. First, it will increase the size of its March 10 and 24 auctions to banks to US$50 billion each. The auctions had been set for US$30 billion apiece initially. Fed officials said that they are prepared to move to even larger amounts at future auctions if necessary.

The Fed also said that, starting yesterday, it will begin a series of repurchase transactions expected to reach US$100 billion.

US Treasury debt prices shot up in anticipation that the Fed will cut interest rates while stock futures weakened sharply. The US dollar’s value was at a record low against the euro after the unfavourable employment report was issued.

The back-to-back January and February job losses were the first consecutive monthly declines since May and June of 2003.

The February jobs report was more bleak than expected.

Economists surveyed by Reuters forecast that 25,000 jobs would be added to payrolls last month.

They had forecast that the unemployment rate would edge up to 5.0 per cent.

Department officials said that February’s job losses were the largest for any month since March 2003, when 212,000 jobs were cut.

During February, the national unemployment rate eased to 4.8 per cent from 4.9 per cent in January, but that was because fewer people were in the labour force. The department said that the number of people in the workforce fell by 450,000 in February.

Job losses were widespread. Some 52,000 jobs were lost in the manufacturing industries, the largest decline since July 2003 when 92,000 jobs were cut. Construction businesses eliminated another 39,000 jobs on top of 25,000 that were cut in January, a reflection of the housing industry’s deepening woes.

Retail industries also shed jobs last month, dropping 34,000 people off their payrolls, a possible reflection of concern from businesses that hard-pressed consumers are likely to begin pulling back sharply on spending.

Source: Reuters, AFP (The Straits Times 8 Mar 08)

Mortgage war breaks out as DBS and UOB offer new rates

Banks focusing on specific targets, waging battles without fanfare

THE mortgage war finally erupted, as Singapore banks responded to a dramatic rate cut by Maybank three weeks ago – with one even offering a zero per cent package.

That attractive deal comes from United Overseas Bank (UOB), which has relaunched a package with a teaser first-year rate at rockbottom.

DBS Group Holdings has also rolled out new rates on several packages, including a fixed-rate deal that claims to be the lowest of its type here in Singapore.

Unlike the fanfare that marked the rate war in 2003, though, the battle now is focused on specific targets and is being kept under the radar.

Banks are quietly offering promotional rates on a case-by-case basis and tend to target clients with loans of well over $300,000. While the market for new mortgages has softened, banks are still busy.

‘A lot of customers are looking to refinance their loans taken less than a year ago, when interest rates were much higher,’ Mr Bryan Ong of mortgage consultancy bcgroup.com.sg said.

Maybank sparked the war with an aggressive three-year, fixed-rate package at 1.68 per cent for the first year. This promo, which ends on Monday, has sent customers ‘rushing to submit loan applications’, said Maybank consumer banking head Helen Neo.

About 80 per cent of the applications were for buying private properties with an average loan size of about $675,000. Maybank is now ‘reviewing the rates’.

Other banks have not taken the move lying down. Most have tacitly matched – or undercut – Maybank’s rates.

DBS has a new three-year, fixed-rate package with an aggregate rate of 7.64 per cent – lower than Maybank’s 7.74 per cent. It offers a 1 per cent cash rebate in the first year.

UOB has revived its FirstZero Home Loan – a three-year, fixed-rate package available ‘only for a limited period’. The bank launched this in 2003, but it was quietly taken off the market last year amid interest rate volatility.

FirstZero is now back with a zero per cent rate on the first year, 3.6 per cent on the second and 4.5 per cent on the third, making a three-year aggregate rate of 8.1 per cent.

It has hefty penalty charges and a three-year lock-in period.

Standard Chartered Bank (Stanchart) actually moved before Maybank, cutting its three-year, fixed-rate package from 3.58 per cent to 2.98 per cent in January. It also cut its two-year package by 0.55 of a percentage point to 2.88 per cent.

DBS countered this week with a 2.88 per cent average annual rate for a three-year package and a 1 per cent cash rebate on the first year.

This three-week promotion is only for customers with loan quantums of at least $300,000.

OCBC Bank had not joined the fray, with chief executive David Conner saying last month that a mortgage rate war was unlikely.

OCBC said ‘from time to time, it offers loan packages with promotional rates that are highly competitive compared to other players’.

The most popular packages now are those linked to transparent rates, like the Singapore Interbank Offered Rate (Sibor) or swap offered rate (SOR), comprising the Sibor plus a bank’s lending costs.

These are official, regularly published industry rates customers can check to see how their packages are structured.

Riding on this interest, DBS has just cut by half its rate for its 12-month, two-year, Sibor-linked loans to 0.5 per cent for the first year.

Nearly 80 per cent of Stanchart’s new customers in recent months have taken up its package offering SOR plus 0.5 per cent for the first year.

The SOR has dropped from about 3 per cent last year to about 1.5 per cent currently.

Stanchart’s head of consumer banking, Mr Ajay Kanwal, said: ‘With the interest rate environment expected to soften further, customers of SOR-linked packages will benefit even more.’

Source: The Straits Times 8 Mar 08

New rules ‘must keep sub-prime market open’

SPRINGFIELD (ILLINOIS) – LAWMAKERS must not be too heavy-handed as they react to the collapse of the United States sub-prime mortgage market and end up closing this source of credit forever, a senior Federal Reserve policymaker said yesterday.

St Louis Fed president William Poole said the sub-prime market was now basically shut and might never reopen if the regulatory backlash were too onerous.

‘The public policy problem is the danger that, with the sad record of so many mistakes and abuses in recent years, regulatory burdens to end the abuses will do so, but only at the cost of making sub-prime lending so costly and risky to lenders that they will have no interest in restoring this market,’ he said.

Mr Poole, who retires from the Fed at the end of this month, did not directly address the economic outlook, but stressed the housing market’s problems have been costly.

Source: REUTERS, BLOOMBERG NEWS (The Straits Times 8 Mar 08)

US household wealth falls for first time in five years

WASHINGTON – HOUSEHOLD wealth in the United States fell in the fourth quarter for the first time in five years, while borrowing slowed as home values plunged and lenders restricted credit, Federal Reserve figures have shown.

Net worth for households decreased by US$532.9 billion (S$739.5 billion) from the previous three months, the first decline since the third quarter of 2002, according to the Fed’s quarterly Flow of Funds report released on Thursday. Housing-related net worth dropped by US$176.4 billion.

Lower home and stock prices and reduced access to loans are prompting Americans to spend less, driving up foreclosures. A slowdown in consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of the economy, threatens to push the US into a recession.

‘Consumers are being squeezed from several directions,’ Fed governor Frederick Mishkin said in a speech this week.

Reduced household wealth, combined with a weakening job market and near-record fuel prices ‘are likely to restrain spending growth in the period ahead’, he said.

Owners’ equity as a share of their total real estate holdings fell to 47.9 per cent, the lowest since quarterly records began in 1951, from 48.9 per cent in the prior period.

The Fed based its calculations on a gauge of home prices published by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. Had the central bank used a measure of home prices developed by S&P/Case-Shiller instead, the loss in net worth would have been almost three times as much, according to JPMorgan Chase economist Michael Feroli in New York.

The drop in housing-related household net worth from October to December followed a decline of about US$600 million in the previous three months. Mortgage borrowing by households rose at a 5 per cent annual pace, the smallest gain since 1997.

Total borrowing by consumers, businesses and government agencies rose at an annual rate of 7.7 per cent last quarter compared with an 8.8 per cent gain the prior quarter, as borrowing by businesses climbed.

Total borrowing by households increased at a 5.6 per cent pace, and business borrowing rose at an annual pace of 12 per cent.

Borrowing by state and local governments climbed at a 7.6 per cent rate after rising 6.5 per cent the prior quarter, the Fed said.

Federal government borrowing rose at an annual pace of 5.1 per cent after increasing at an 8.8 per cent rate.

Source: BLOOMBERG NEWS (The Straits Times 8 Mar 08)

US reports surprise loss of 63,000 jobs

Biggest drop in five years another sign that economy is on the decline

WASHINGTON – THE United States unexpectedly lost jobs last month for the second consecutive month, adding to evidence that the economy is in a recession.

Payrolls fell by 63,000, the most in five years, after a revised decline of 22,000 in January, the Labour Department said yesterday in Washington.

The jobless rate declined to 4.8 per cent, reflecting a shrinking labour force as some people gave up looking for work.

‘All the lights are flashing red,’ said Mr Nariman Behravesh, the chief economist at Global Insight in Massachusetts, in an interview with Bloomberg Television. ‘We’re in a recession. I don’t think there is any doubt about it at this point.’

Treasury notes soared after the report on concern that the weakening labour market – combined with lower home prices, higher fuel bills and a global credit squeeze – will force consumers to cut spending further.

Minutes before the figures were released, the US Fed said it would expand two short-term auctions this month to US$100 billion (S$139 billion) to address ‘heightened liquidity pressures’ in markets.

Traders now expect Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and his team to cut their benchmark interest rate by at least three-quarters of a percentage point at or before their March 18 meeting.

Economists had projected that payrolls would rise by 23,000, following a previously reported 17,000 drop in January, according to the median of 76 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey.

The jobless rate was forecast to rise to 5 per cent from January’s 4.9 per cent, with estimates ranging from 4.8 per cent to 5.2 per cent.

Revisions reduced by half the 82,000 increase in payrolls previously reported for December last year.

Service industries, which include banks, insurers, restaurants and retailers, added 26,000 workers last month. Retail payrolls fell by 34,100, the biggest drop in more than five years.

Payrolls at builders fell 39,000, the eighth consecutive month of cutbacks.

Home builders are trimming staff as the biggest housing slump in a quarter century deepens. Commercial building projects are also declining, indicating that firings at non-residential builders are likely to rise.

The real estate recession and financial market meltdown have led to growing dismissals at banks, mortgage and management firms.

‘There’s significant weakness in the job market because of construction declines,’ said Mr David Berson, the chief economist at California-based PMI Group, the second-largest US mortgage insurer. ‘For the next six months or so, we may get small negative numbers on payrolls.’

Manufacturing payrolls dropped by 52,000, the biggest decline since July 2003, after falling by 31,000 a month earlier. Economists had forecast a drop of 25,000.

Americans, whose spending accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy, are less upbeat about finding work, a Conference Board report showed last week. The share of consumers who said that jobs are plentiful fell and the proportion who said jobs are hard to get jumped, pushing consumer confidence down to a five- year low last month.

‘The economic situation has become distinctly less favourable,’ Mr Bernanke said in testimony to Congress last week.

The Fed chairman referred to ‘downside’ risks for the economy four times, including ‘the possibilities that the housing market or the labour market may deteriorate more than is currently anticipated and that credit conditions may tighten substantially further’.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 8 Mar 08)

Casinos, other large projects push up cost of loans: OCBC

Casinos, other large projects push up cost of loans: OCBC

SINGAPORE’S two casinos and other large projects will add S$30 billion to loan demand this year, pushing up the cost of corporate loans in the city-state, said Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp on Wednesday.

Las Vegas Sands and Genting International have each borrowed about S$5 billion to build casinos, while developers will need billions to pay for residential sites purchased for redevelopment, OCBC’s head of group investment banking George Lee told Reuters.

‘The supply of Singapore dollars is going to get tighter while demand is exceptionally high… Credit spreads are going to rise and those used to borrowing at X must get used to borrowing at X plus something,’ said Mr Lee in an interview.

According to Monetary Authority of Singapore data, loans to businesses rose 27 per cent to S$130.5 billion in January from a year ago, spurred by a 46 per cent increase in building and construction loans to S$39.3 billion.

Other projects that require funding this year include an estimated S$2-2.5 billion to finance the purchase of electricity generator Tuas Power from government fund Temasek Holdings, and the refinancing of a loan to buy the building housing Singapore’s biggest bank DBS Group .

Turning to neighbouring Malaysia, which companies are looking to for lower-cost borrowings, Mr Lee said firms planning to tap the corporate bond market will see this as viable only if they have projects in Malaysia.

For companies hoping to take the borrowings overseas, any savings would be offset by the sharp rise in the cost of swapping ringgit into dollars or other foreign currencies.

While the cost of borrowing in ringgit remains extremely attractive, the swap premium has widened from 20-30 basis points late last year to about 100 basis points now, he said.

Malaysia opened its ringgit bond market to foreign corporate issuers in October, coinciding with the outbreak of the global credit crisis that has raised the cost of dollar-denominated debt.

On Monday, Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) became the first foreign firm to take advantage of the new rules by selling a total of RM1 billion (S$437.8 million) in five- and 10-year bonds.

The deal, which KEXIM said shaved 20-30 basis points off its borrowing cost, was handled by OCBC along with Malaysia’s RHB and CIMB.

OCBC, Singapore’s third largest bank, is also in the process of selling up to RM2.5 billion in lower Tier 2 bonds to augment its capital base.

Mr Lee said it made sense for OCBC to borrow in ringgit as it had operations in Malaysia and did not intend to exchange the proceeds from the bond issue to Singapore dollars .

‘For those with natural ringgit assets without the need to swap, it still makes sense,’ he said.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 7 Mar 08)

Citigroup to sell, close some US branches: WSJ

(NEW YORK) Citigroup has agreed to sell its network of retail banking branches in Amarillo, Texas, and plans to shutter other branches in the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Wednesday.Citibank, its retail banking unit, has agreed to sell branches in Amarillo to local lender Happy State Bank for an undisclosed sum, according to an internal memo, the Journal reported on its website. The newspaper said the company confirmed the deal.Citibank also plans to close at least 11 other branches in May, including six in Florida, three in New Jersey, and one each in California and Maryland, the Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter. A Citigroup spokeswoman was not immediately available to comment.Meanwhile, Dubai International Capital LLC (DIC), the state-controlled buyout company, said it has not been approached by Citigroup for capital raising after mortgage losses wiped out half its market value.DIC has ‘not been privy to any non-public information about the company’, the company said. ‘Dubai International Capital has never expressed an opinion on the investment merits or financial condition of Citi,’ it added.Citigroup received US$7.5 billion in November from Dubai’s neighbour, Abu Dhabi, and theNew York-based company said in January it was getting another US$14.5 billion from investors, including the governments of Singapore and Kuwait.It will take a lot more money to rescue Citibank and other financial institutions from losses  stemming from the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market, DIC chief executive officer Sameer al-Ansari said on March 4.Citigroup fell 4.3 per cent that day to its lowest in nine years after Mr al-Ansari’s comments  and analysts at Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs Group predicted a first-quarter loss on further writedowns.But, on Wednesday, investor Robert Olstein said Citigroup will not cut its dividend further or raise more capital and the shares may double over the next two years.Citigroup’s stock, which has tumbled 55 per cent in the past year, is attractive even if the biggest US bank by assets reports another US$60 billion of writedowns and loan-loss provisions over the next two years, Mr Olstein told Bloomberg Television.‘Even though there’s bad news still to come in Citibank, it’s discounted already,’ said Mr Olstein, who oversees about US$1.3 billion as chairman of Olstein Capital Management. ‘This stock in two years is going to be in the mid-40s. You’ve got to be forward looking.’ Source: Reuters, Bloomberg (Business Times 7 Mar 08)

Existing home sales stay at just short of record low

Home foreclosures and rate of homes entering the process at record highs in Q4

(WASHINGTON) Industry data released yesterday show January pending US home sales were below analysts’ expectations and remained at the second-lowest reading on record.

The National Association of Realtors said its seasonally adjusted index of pending sales for existing homes held at 85.9, the same reading as December and just short of a revised record low of 85.8 in August, at the start of the worldwide credit squeeze. The reading was 19.6 per cent below year-ago levels.

Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR had predicted the index would inch up to a reading of 86.2. Typically there is a month or two lag between when a buyer signs a home sales contract and the closing of the deal. Sales completed last month and into this month should be reflected in the January reading.

An index reading of 100 is equal to the average level of sales activity in 2001, when the index started.

Lawrence Yun, the trade group’s chief economist, said in a statement that the reading is a sign the housing market is stabilising.

‘Our members are telling us there’s been a pick-up in shopping activity,’ Mr Yun said. ‘Our hope is that the increased traffic of buyers looking at homes will translate soon into more contract offers.’

The Realtors group, which is more optimistic about the housing market than most economists, projects home sales will start to rise during the second half of the year.

It forecast yesterday that total existing home sales will fall 4.8 per cent to 5.4 million this year, then rise to 5.6 million in 2009.

The trade group projected median US home prices – the point at which half of the homes sell for less and half sell for more – will fall 1.2 per cent to US$216,300 before rising to as much as US$2 23,800 in 2009.

Meanwhile, US home foreclosures and the rate of homes entering the foreclosure process rose to record highs in the fourth quarter led by failing sub-prime loans, the Mortgage Bankers Association said yesterday.

The rate of failing loans swelled across most mortgage types but was led by a growing wave of subprime borrowers unable to make payments, the trade group said in its delinquency and foreclosure survey.

A record 0.83 per cent of US loans were entering the foreclosure process in the last three months of 2007 compared to 0.54 per cent in the same time a year earlier. The US mortgage delinquency rate of 5.82 per cent was the highest since 1985 and up from the 4.95 per cent seen in the fourth quarter of 2006.

In another development, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston president Eric Rosengren yesterday called for aggressive action on credit market problems and falling home prices that are posing a risk to the US economy.

‘There may be a significant cost to delaying needed actions that could restore confidence in the ratings process, the pricing of financial assets, and the impact of declining home prices,’ Mr Rosengren said.

Mr Rosengren said that problems that have roiled Wall Street since summer ‘are beginning to significantly affect Main Street’, with falling home prices a key element. ‘As long as housing prices continue to fall, the decline increases the risks to borrowers, lenders, markets and the economy,’ he said.

Hopes that the United States could refinance its way out of the sub-prime mortgage crisis are fading, Mr Rosengren said.

Source: AP, Reuters (Business Times 7 Mar 08)

Growth slows in 8 of 12 regions in US: survey

Beige Book cites weak retail sales, slow manufacturing and housing woes

(NEW YORK) The Federal Reserve says economic growth has slowed in eight of 12 US regions since the start of the year, hurt by faltering retail sales, manufacturing and a continued decline in housing.

‘Two-thirds of the districts cited softening or weakening in the pace of business activity, while the others referred to subdued, slow or modest growth,’ the central bank said in its regional business survey, known as the Beige Book, on Wednesday.

The report provided anecdotal evidence of a cooling economy that echoed reports this week that showed a contraction in manufacturing and services last month.

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers last week that the central bank is prepared to lower interest rates further as needed to avert a deeper downturn.

The report noted that retail activity in most districts was weak or softening. Manufacturing was sluggish or have slowed in about half the districts.

Traders expect the Federal Open Market Committee to lower the benchmark rate by 0.75 percentage point by its meeting on March 18. Policy makers have lowered the rate by 2.25 percentage points since September to 3 per cent.

The Fed report also said that almost all districts reported ‘upward pressure on prices’ from higher raw materials and energy costs, though companies reported ‘mixed success’ in passing along costs in higher prices.

The Beige Book said housing remained a drag on the US economy. ‘Residential real estate markets generally remained weak,’ the report said, citing ‘tight or tightening credit standards’ in most districts.

Scarce credit, bloated inventories and falling prices continue to depress housing markets. Sales of existing homes fell in January to the lowest level since records began nine years ago, the National Association of Realtors said last month.

‘Growth risks are much more severe in the near term’ for the Fed, Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase, said. ‘Growth is pretty much stagnant right now.’

Companies reduced workers last month, the first reductions in the US in almost five years, a private report based on payrolls from ADP Employer Services showed on Wednesday.

The economy expanded 0.6 per cent at an annualised pace last quarter. Fed officials lowered their projections for economic growth by half a percentage point this year, according to quarterly figures published last month.

‘I continue to expect a period of economic weakness in the near term,’ Fed governor Frederic Mishkin said on Monday. ‘With the economic outlook having deteriorated significantly and financial markets under considerable stress, the FOMC will face significant challenges.’

The Beige Book’s regional anecdotes are gathered through hundreds of telephone calls, news clippings and personal contact by the staff of the 12 Fed banks, whose districts cover all 50 US states. The anecdotes are designed to supplement quantitative forecasts of the Board of Governors staff.

The Beige Book was prepared by the Boston Fed based on information collected on or before Feb 25.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 7 Mar 08)

Speculators holding out for higher prices

Subsale activity slows but transacted prices remain resilient

(SINGAPORE) Property prices have been bolstered by speculators in the last year. But now that speculation is on the decline, could prices follow suit?

An analysis by Savills Singapore of properties subsold last year after being bought from developers in the same year has revealed that while subsale activity dropped significantly in the last quarter, subsale prices did not, suggesting that speculators are not ready to offload their investments yet.

The number of subsales fell by 66.7, 69.1 and 39.1 per cent in the high, mid and mass-market segments respectively in the fourth quarter of last year from a quarter earlier.

However, average gains made from subsales over the developers’ sale price remained relatively stable. They came to 34.2 per cent in the high-end segment in Q4, 14 percentage points higher than the full-year average gains. In the mid-tier segment, average gains fell marginally by 2.4 points to 21.1 per cent, while in the mass-market segment, they rose 1.6 points to 17.2 per cent.

Savills director (marketing and business development) Ku Swee Yong adds: ‘Speculators appear to be holding out for better prices.’

Interestingly, Savills’s analysis also shows that there have been several speculators that have subsold on very thin profit margins of 5 per cent or less, adding credence to market talk that some speculators may be looking to offload properties at bargain prices soon.

However, while Mr Ku believes that speculators that cannot manage the mortgage payments – especially after holding for a year or more on the deferred payment scheme – might be letting go at lower profits, he does not think they represent a majority.

By his estimation, there are about 6,000 residential units that will receive TOP (temporary occupation permit) this year. ‘While there may be some dumping from those who cannot afford to pay up at the point of TOP, we do not think that it will constitute more than one per cent of the 6,000 units,’ he adds.

The situation could change next year.

‘We expect around 10,000 units to receive TOP in 2009. Those who bought using the deferred payment scheme in the last couple of years might let go if they are really speculators and cannot afford to pay,’ says Mr Ku.

But he is optimistic that the low mortgage rates may mitigate the need to sell. ‘The buyers might go for rental yield instead.’

Subsales of major new launches in the high-end sector, which include developments such as Marina Bay Residences, Scotts Square and The Orchard Residences, fell to just four transactions in Q4, compared to 32 for the full year.

Two subsales were done at less than 10 per cent above the developer’s sale price.

The average gains from subsales over the developer’s sale price were highest in the high-end market, substantiating Mr Ku’s belief that this segment could prove more resilient if the global economic downturn is prolonged. ‘There is a large proportion of buyers in the high-end market that are so rich, they buy properties with cash.’

This segment is also largely supported by foreign buyers and Mr Ku says: ‘Foreigners are not speculators.’

Last year, the mid-tier segment saw 140 subsales of newly launched developments like Sky @ Eleven, The Rochester and One North Residences.

In Q4, one subsale was transacted at just 2.3 per cent above the developer’s sale price. In the mass market, there were 49 subsales of newly launched projects such as The Parc Condominium, Casa Merah and Clementiwoods for the year.

In Q4, there were 14 subsale transactions. Three were done at less than 10 per cent above the developer’s sale price.

The number of Sky @ Eleven subsales – over 60 – was among the highest in 2007. In July and August, four units were subsold for over 50 per cent of the developer’s sale price.

But the days of huge capital gains could be over.

Mr Ku says that, based on data for January so far, subsale gains could trend downwards slightly. But he adds that there is no evidence that speculators will find themselves in negative territory yet.

Source: Business Times 7 Mar 08

Aussie Q4 growth at lowest pace in a year

(SYDNEY) Australia’s economy grew at the slowest pace in more than a year in the fourth quarter as construction declined and bottlenecks at ports cut exports.

Gross domestic product rose 0.6 per cent from the third quarter, when it increased a revised 1.1 per cent, the Bureau of Statistics said yesterday. The gain matched the median estimate of economists. The US$1 trillion economy grew 3.9 per cent from a year earlier.

A slowdown in Australia’s economy, now in its 17th year of expansion, plus the potential fallout from the global credit crisis, gives the central bank scope to delay further interest rate increases after raising borrowing costs to a 12-year high on Tuesday to stem inflation.

Yesterday’s report showed imports surged as the lowest unemployment in more than three decades spurred spending.

‘It’s still a strong economy story,’ said David de Garis, senior markets economist at National Australia Bank. ‘The question is whether domestic demand will hold up in the face of rising interest rates.’

Rising borrowing costs, tighter lending standards, the local currency’s gain and the global slowdown are ‘significant dampening forces’ that will cool Australia’s economic expansion, central bank assistant governor Malcolm Edey said yesterday.

Australia’s stock market was cut to ‘underweight’ by Merrill Lynch & Co yesterday on concern rising interest rates will ‘hit consumer and banking stocks’. The nation’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index has declined 21 per cent since its Nov 1 peak, meeting the definition of a bear market.

Exports fell 0.6 per cent in the three months through December from the previous quarter as miners were hampered by port and rail constraints, yesterday’s report shows. By contrast, government spending rose 1.7 per cent and household consumption climbed 1.6 per cent.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

Fed and Bush moving closer to mortgage rescue

Bernanke calls for more action by banks and the govt to help millions of home owners

(WASHINGTON) However much they might oppose it on ideological grounds, the Bush administration and the Federal Reserve are inching closer towards a government rescue of distressed home owners and mortgage lenders.

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke told a group of bankers in Florida on Tuesday that ‘more can and should be done’ to help millions of people with mortgages that are often bigger than the value of their homes.

Though Mr Bernanke stopped well short of calling for a government bailout, he used his bully pulpit to try to push the banking industry into forgiving portions of many mortgages and signalled his concern that market forces would not be enough to prevent a broader economic calamity.

He also suggested that the Federal Housing Administration expand its insurance programme to let more people switch from expensive sub-prime mortgages to federally insured loans.

And he urged the two government-sponsored mortgage companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to raise more capital so they could buy more mortgages. The companies already guarantee or hold as investments about US$1.5 trillion in mortgages.

Similarly, the Bush administration, despite its public opposition to bailouts, has set the stage for a bigger government role.

One month ago, President George Bush signed an economic stimulus bill that greatly increased the size of loans the FHA can insure, while allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase significantly larger mortgages from lenders and guarantee them against default by homeowners.

The move, which administration officials had previously opposed, increases the limits on FHA, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae mortgages from US$417,000 to as much as US$729,750.

Historically, the FHA and the mortgage companies have focused on conservative mortgages for people borrowing relatively modest sums. But they are now being encouraged to finance much bigger mortgages, in some cases to people who put almost no money down.

Last week, the administration went further by removing limits on the volume of mortgages that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can hold in their own portfolios. That means the two companies could buy up billions of dollars in mortgages that other investors have been too frightened to touch.

In theory, the change should not cost taxpayers. But because the companies are chartered by Congress, investors have assumed that Congress would bail them out if needed.

The Fed has been offering its own resources to soften the credit squeeze. In addition to sharply cutting interest rates, the Fed has lent more than US$160 billion to banks since mid-December.

Source: NYT (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

Mixed landed housing site for sale

CHESTNUT VILLE (I and II), a mixed landed site at Dairy Farm Crescent, has been put up for collective sale and the indicative price for the combined plot is $90 million.

This represents a land price of $741 psf over the land area, inclusive of an estimated $1 million development charge.

The development currently comprises 11 townhouses and 34 walk-up maisonette units with a combined land area of about 122,677 sq ft.

Credo Real Estate, which is marketing the site, says that the site is zoned for three-storey mixed landed housing.

This means the site may yield a combination of conventional terrace houses, semi-detached and detached houses; or cluster landed housing with strata terrace houses, strata semi-detached houses and strata bungalows with communal facilities. Credo executive director Tan Hong Boon added that it commissioned a study by an architect and one of the possible schemes allows the site to be developed into 10 strata detached, 22 strata semi-detached and 27 strata terrace houses, together with another four conventional semi-detached houses and two bungalows.

Based on the indicative price of $90 million, the potential developer’s breakeven price for an intermediate strata terrace house and a conventional bungalow should be about $2.1 million and $3.8 million respectively, added Mr Tan.

Credo also pointed out that according to the Land Transport Authority, the planned Bukit Timah MRT Line is slated to include a Chestnut Station and a Hillview Station, both of which could be expected to be close to the site.

Mr Tan also expects good response for the mixed landed housing site as ‘they are not easily available in the market’.

Source: Business Times 6 Mar 08

Property valuations in focus amid Spanish angst

(LONDON) Spanish property developers, having enjoyed what once seemed an unstoppable boom, could face a severe mauling unless they bow to more realistic pricing as the economy slows and banks rein in lending.

The true value of real estate is a growing bone of contention as more debt-doped property firms get into trouble, leaving creditors and opportunistic buyers to squabble over assets, as in the on-off takeover saga engulfing property firm Colonial.

James Preston, who heads the Madrid office of European property funds firm Rockspring, sees international banks and investors losing confidence in the absence of an improvement in property market transparency in Spain.

‘It can only prolong the pain and result in a protracted, ‘U-shaped’ recovery,’ he said. ‘It is doing a disservice to this market which is at the aperitif stage of a very long, foul meal.’

‘I don’t believe valuers are marking to market, full stop,’ Mr Preston said. ‘And I don’t believe valuers are reflecting the reality for any property company, quoted or otherwise, in particular in relation to land banks.’ Such scepticism is shared by other real estate experts.

‘Spanish property values are lower than people think,’ said JPMorgan analyst Harm Meijer here.

Mr Preston sees a parallel, in terms of lack of transparency, with the US sub-prime crisis, which has so far led to banks writing off up to US$160 billion and resulted in a global debt logjam as confidence in the value of mortgage-related debt collapsed.

Spain’s relatively conservative banking industry bears few US sub-prime scars. It churned out 31.6 billion euros (S$66.9 billion) in residential mortgage-backed bonds in the second half of last year, as other markets seized up, according to Moody’s. But it could yet face more trouble as an unprecedented construction boom – accounting for almost a fifth of Spain’s economic growth – slows sharply.

Across Spain, unemployment is rising faster than anywhere else in Europe. Consumer confidence is at its lowest level since Spain’s last housing crisis, in the early 1990s, according to Eurostat and Bank of Spain data.

It is not just smaller-scale builders of coastal holiday homes or speculative owners of land banks with dubious planning rights that may be vulnerable, though these are seen by analysts as most overvalued in the current climate.

Several Spanish property developers have filed for creditor protection in the last few months, while Barcelona-based Habitat last week staved off bankruptcy at the eleventh hour by refinancing 1.6 billion euros of debt.

Some of Spain’s biggest property firms – including Colonial, Metrovacesa, Martinsa Fadesa, and Realia – have also bulked up on debt, which until recently was paid back with steady cash flow in a rising market.

Unlike in the United States and other parts of Europe – where there is a clearer demarcation between housebuilders and commercial property landlords – these firms have both housing and commercial property and so are exposed to any weakness.

The Bank of Spain has said Spanish homes may be up to 30 per cent overvalued. The government, which faces general elections on March 9, expects house price growth to ease to low single digits but not turn negative. But it is no longer just housing which could be a problem.

Commercial property – pricey by regional standards – could suffer too since a slower economy will undermine corporate demand for space and drag on rental growth.

Office rental yields – a valuation measure which moves inversely to price – are 4.5 per cent in Madrid and Barcelona, a percentage point less than in London’s City district, according to data from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

CBRE says yields in Spain’s top two cities have risen about a quarter percentage point since the third quarter of 2007. But the correction has been more acute in Britain, which like Spain is coming off one of Europe’s biggest, longest property booms.

Office, industrial, and retail property valuations in Britain have been cut by 13-14 per cent since the summer.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

Punj Lloyd Singapore unit sees orders triple

(SINGAPORE) Sembawang Engineers & Constructors, a unit of India’s Punj Lloyd, said yesterday its orderbook has tripled from a year ago on a construction boom in Singapore.

The strong demand helped Singapore’s largest construction firm by sales raise its orderbook to $2.1 billion and boosted gross profit margins to 7-8 per cent from 1-1.5 per cent in 2006, said chief executive Alwyn Bowden.

‘We’re concentrating on infrastructure projects because these are bigger and more challenging, and are higher profile,’ Mr Bowden told Reuters in an interview.

He said that while demand for building homes and offices is expected to slow amidst an easing property market here, the impact is ‘negligible’, offset by major infrastructure investments in its key target markets of Singapore, India, and the Middle East.

These projects will not be derailed by fears of a global slowdown sparked by an ongoing credit crisis, due to strong economic growth in India and a spike in oil prices that are boosting Middle East coffers, he said.

Currently Singapore makes up 80 per cent of the firm’s orderbook. But the company aims to reduce that share and split its sales three ways between South- east Asia, India, and the Middle East.

‘We only need to grab a relatively small share of that market, to already be headed towards the same sort of levels of revenues that we achieve here and in South-east Asia,’ he said.

Shares in Punj Lloyd, India’s fifth-biggest builder, slid 6 per cent yesterday to take losses for the year to 41 per cent, underperforming an 18 per cent fall since December in the broader Bombay market.

Sembawang is currently involved in a number of high-profile projects here, including casino resorts – the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World at Sentosa – as well as a contract to build part of a new subway line.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

Scams and schemes compound woes of US housing crisis

(CHICAGO) As the US housing meltdown forces hundreds of thousands of Americans from their homes, the extent to which fraud was a factor in the crisis is just coming to light.Products such as stated-income loans – known as ‘liar loans’ because no proof of income was needed – led to widespread misrepresentation by borrowers about their earnings.But far more sinister forms of fraud, including identity theft and ‘straw buyers’ – those created using fake documents – are also coming into the open.Mike Reardon of nonprofit lender Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) points out two such properties, both boarded up, on South Rockwell Avenue in Chicago’s blue-collar South Side.The owner of one of the homes was traced to Texas, he said. ‘Turns out it was a case of identity theft,’ Mr Reardon said, shaking his head. ‘He had no idea he owned a home in Chicago.’ Across the street, he points to another boarded, slowly rotting home, which had last been sold to a woman named Susan Haas.‘I may be wrong, but I’ve been looking for months and months and I can’t find any proof Susan Haas exists,’ he said. Many fraud schemes kept running as long as cash kept flowing from Wall Street. Once the credit crunch turned off the supply of easy money, the perpetrators simply walked away. Estimates vary as to how prevalent fraud was during the boom.Arthur Prieston, chairman of the Prieston Group, which provides mortgage-fraud insurance and training to lenders, said that ‘at least 30 per cent of the loans out there contain some form of misrepresentation’. ‘But because lenders often have to sell off properties quickly to cut their losses, we will never know exactly how much mortgage fraud has been committed,’ he added.Mr Prieston estimates that mortgage-fraud losses were around US$4.2 billion for 2006, adding that figures for 2007 ‘will be much higher’. In a recent case in Chicago, he said the authorities prepared to file charges against a woman who had fraudulently bought five properties.‘When we turned up to serve papers on her, we found she was nine years old,’ he said. ‘Her uncle had stolen her identity.’ The mortgage scam known as identity theft is relatively simple – the perpetrator uses a stolen identity to buy property with no money down, then rents it to tenants until it goes into foreclosure, collecting rent but never making a mortgage payment.A far more lucrative scam, using what are known as straw buyers, was much more common, according to Boston-based real estate analyst John Anderson.‘The vast majority of the cases I’m aware of involved straw buyers,’ he said. ‘Thanks to products like stated-income loans, people walked away with a ton of free money.’All you needed was to buy a foreclosed property at a bargain price, have it falsely appraised with a grossly inflated value, then sell it to a straw buyer at a big profit. The straw buyer never makes a payment and the home goes into foreclosure. The process was often repeated over and over again.‘We’ve seen some properties that were sold like this dozens of times,’ NHS’ Mr Reardon said. ‘This artificially pushed up prices in some neighbourhoods and when those fake buyers walked away, the abandoned homes pushed prices down.’‘The real victims are the genuine borrowers who bought here at inflated prices and are stuck now with mortgages worth more than their homes,’ he added.False appraisals were also used to fool genuine borrowers. ‘We get a lot of cases involving fraud that we refer to the state attorney general,’ said Lori Gay, CEO of Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services, a nonprofit lender that also offers financial counselling services. ‘Some 15 to 20 per cent of the cases we see have some element of fraud.’The US Federal Bureau of Investigation saw Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) related to mortgage fraud rise to 47,000 in 2007 from 7,000 in 2003, spokesman Stephen Kodak said.‘This year it looks like we’re on track for 60,000 SARs, which is a significant rise,’ he said. ‘This has required more allocation of manpower to mortgage fraud cases.’ Mr Prieston, the mortgage insurer, said that had major lenders been proactive in checking the identities of the people who were buying properties using stated-income loans and similar products, then a lot of fraud could have been avoided.‘A lot of lenders claim they were victimised by fraud but helped to constitute it by looking the other way,’ he said. ‘The sad fact is that the vast majority of mortgage fraud out there could have been prevented.’Mr Anderson, the Boston-based real estate analyst, is among those who were warning for years that easy credit created an easy climate for fraud. ‘The banks on Wall Street had to know there would be fraud. If they didn’t they’re morons.’  Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

A growth engine for the economy

Spore’s aviation players have been riding the wave of growth in the sector, but there are challenges, and opportunities too

OVER the years, aviation has become the lifeblood for Singapore’s economic growth. This is despite the fact that the sector’s direct contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) is rather small – at around 5 per cent.

But the industry’s impact on the well-being of the republic was amply demonstrated in 2003, when economic activity was badly hit by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) pandemic which saw aviation grinding to almost a halt.

If anything, the sector’s importance has grown since.

Last year, Singapore Changi Airport recorded annual passenger throughput of 36.7 million – an all-time high, representing a 4.8 per cent growth over 2006. With Terminal 3 now in operation, Changi’s total capacity is now 64 million passengers.

But such traffic is only part of the picture.

Singapore is also a critical hub for air cargo, handling some 1.9 million tonnes of airfreight last year.

Despite a marginal slowdown of 0.9 per cent compared to 2006, mainly due to the softening demand for electronics in the United States, as well as the growing preference by manufacturers to ship their products by sea instead of by air, the republic’s dominance in air cargo remains well established.

Aerospace industry

Singapore is also one of Asia’s largest and most comprehensive aerospace repair and maintenance centres, controlling some 25 per cent of total Asia market share and employing some 19,000 technicians, engineers and specialists.

The Singapore aerospace industry grew by 10.4 per cent to a record $6.89 billion last year. Value added was up 8.5 per cent to $2.69 billion, while the number of people employed by the industry grew by 8.2 per cent to 19,000 in 2007.

The industry, which encompasses manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), remains one of the fastest growing sectors in Singapore, attracting almost $500 million in investment last year.

Indeed, Singapore’s MRO cluster is already globally competitive, and in no small measure due to the efforts of IE Singapore.

The agency responsible for trade and commerce has been moving aggressively to help Singapore’s aviation cluster improve its global market share by identifying new growth areas, by marketing efforts, direct introductions and government-to-government lobbying.

For example, IE helped Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STAe) to establish its key MRO presence in Panama by introducing the company to key decision makers like Panama’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Alejandro Ferrer.

Singapore’s dominance of the Asian aviation and aerospace has been due to a combination of lucky geography and sheer grit. Air traffic in the Asia-Pacific region has grown significantly in recent years. And this growth has accelerated with the emergence since 2001 of low-cost airlines in Asia.

Some industry experts call this the commodatisation of air travel. Essentially, this means that air travel has become a mass market, with people who never envisaged getting on board a plane 10 years ago actually seeing it as a natural mode of intercity travel across Asia. This has resulted in more growth for the region’s airlines, more aircraft orders, more routes being opened up, and more airport infrastructure development.

Singapore’s aviation players – Changi, the MRO industry, the suppliers and the air logistics specialists – have been successfully riding this wave. But success also brings with it challenges. One of these is the challenge from competition.

Oil-rich nations of the Middle East are aggressively expanding their aircraft fleets, and have been making headlines with large aircraft orders at international airshows. Some US$23.5 billion in new airports infrastructure is coming onstream by 2012, providing capacity for 316 million passengers annually and taking total airport capacity to 399 million.

Meanwhile, China and India, which are enjoying phenomenal growth in aviation, are collaborating with existing global players to gain a foothold in the fast-growing MRO sector.

Along with the challenges come opportunities. The demand for new aviation infrastructure means more business opportunities for well-placed players.

For example, China, India, Vietnam and countries in the Middle East will see frenzied building of new airports over the next five to 10 years. The Beijing government alone will spend S$28 billion over the next five years on 42 new airports, while in India the government has issued a mandate for upgrading infrastructure at four metro airports, seven greenfield airports and 35 nonmetro airports.

In the Middle East, 10 leading airports will spend some US$24 billion to build new facilities and expand existing ones.

Not surprisingly, Singapore has been cranking up its game in the face of such formidable challenges.

Critical role

IE Singapore helped form the 14-company strong Singapore Airport Consortium (SAC), which includes Changi Airport International and Singapore Airport Terminal Services.

Initiated in 2004 under IE Singapore’s iPartners Programme, this consortium combines the experiences and expertise of Singapore players to jointly offer complete suites of products, services and solutions to airports beyond Singapore. Services offered include airport investment, design, building, management and maintenance and training.

SAC has over the years made inroads into China, India and even the Middle East and has become an effective vehicle for marketing Singapore’s aviation capabilities and for lobbying for Singapore interests in airport projects.

In early 2007, IE Singapore introduced the SAC members to PAE, an American infrastructure company with significant presence in Vietnam that had worked on airport projects there. In recent years, SAC members have partnered PAE in new airport masterplanning for various airport projects in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.

Going forward, agencies like IE, A-Star, the Economic Development Board and others expect to play even more critical roles in growing Singapore’s lead in Asia-Pacific aviation and aerospace.

And their roles will become increasingly critical as the industry faces new challenges from rising fuel price, a potential slowdown arising from the US credit crunch and an anticipated huge supply surge as planes ordered over the last two years are delivered.

Source: Business Times 6 Mar 08

S’pore ranked top Reit market in Asia-Pacific

Survey cites support from regulators to the industry as advantageous

SINGAPORE has been rated as the best location in Asia-Pacific for overall real estate investment trust (Reit) potential – for a second year.

According to the second annual Asia-Pacific Reit Survey – undertaken for financial services provider Trust Company and law firm Allens Arthur Robinson – one of Singapore’s significant advantages is the support that the industry receives from regulators such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Exchange.

Senior property, finance and business experts across the Asia-Pacific are confident that the region’s Reit markets will remain strong, the survey said.

However, the findings also showed that low yields, poor regulatory processes, the effects of financial engineering and adverse taxation developments will continue to be the greatest threats to Reits in Asia-Pacific.

The experts believe that most of these threats will diminish significantly in the longer term.

The survey suggests that over the next one or two years, companies will increase the size of their existing Reits rather than launch new ones, but this trend will be reversed in the longer term of three to five years.

According to the survey’s findings, retail, commercial/office and industrial and retail property will continue to be the main focus for market growth, even though the retail, commercial and office markets have cooled in the last 12 months.

The hotel and hospital sectors are expected to heat up while industrial and infrastructure property is expected to experience slight growth. Residential property, however, will remain cold, the survey said.

The findings also showed that China, India and Vietnam are ranked as the top three hot property growth markets in Asia-Pacific for the next five years. Singapore, which ranked fourth, was the highest placed established Reit market. Good growth is also expected in Malaysia.

Vicki Allen, executive general manager of institutional services at Trust, acknowledged that since the survey was conducted, some caution has surfaced in global Reit markets. But she said that Asia-Pacific Reit markets have fared reasonably well compared with their North American and European counterparts.

Robert Clarke, a partner at Allens Arthur Robinson, suggested that regulatory flexibility is key to staying ahead. He cited Singapore as an example.

Source: Business Times 6 Mar 08

The slow unwinding of the US housing crisis

IT is becoming increasingly evident that the US housing crisis – the root cause of the US economic slowdown and the turmoil in the financial markets – is getting worse by the day. Any hopes for an economic recovery and a restoration of market stability will turn on how this crisis unfolds, and how it is dealt with.

Recent statements and actions by US policymakers provide some clues of what is to come. In a widely reported address to American community bankers on Tuesday, US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke drew attention to rising delinquency rates on mortgages (and not only the sub-prime variety) and the likely persistence of this trend. Foreclosures too will rise, he said, as house prices decline further and interest rate resets on mortgages take effect.

Suggesting that ‘this situation calls for a vigorous response’, Mr Bernanke stressed the urgency of reducing ‘preventable foreclosures’. And then he dropped what many view as a bombshell: he asked for banks to not only provide interest rate relief to borrowers, but also to write down principal in some cases – in other words, to forgive part of the mortgage loans. If not, there would be a stronger incentive to default among homeowners who are in negative equity on their mortgages. And that, in turn, would accelerate the decline in housing prices and make things even worse for already beleaguered mortgage lenders.

A day earlier, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson – who also acknowledged that housing ‘poses the biggest downside risk’ to the economy – urged homeowners (including those ‘underwater’ on their mortgages) to continue servicing their loans, if possible. While this might not be a wholly realistic suggestion, it underlines US officials’ anxiety to stave off foreclosures.

Whether such exhortations will succeed, however, is moot. Bankers are generally loath to take ‘haircuts’ on loans except as the very last resort; and one can hardly count on most homeowners in negative equity being content to continue servicing huge mortgages when they’re better off walking away and handing their house keys to the bank.

Absent such voluntary market-based solutions, there would appear to be a strong case for government intervention. Mr Paulson and other lawmakers have publicly maintained that they oppose any bailouts. However, at the same time, the scope and mandate given to US government agencies such as the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to guarantee or take over mortgages have been significantly expanded. US lawmakers are also examining bolder options. It is probably inevitable that some of these will involve an element of bailout, even if politicians are reluctant to admit as much.

However, whether bailouts are involved or not, US policymakers need to address the US housing market bust urgently, despite the distractions of an election year. For it is now obvious that there is a systemic risk facing the US financial system – and that market mechanisms alone cannot deal with it.

Source: Business Times 6 Mar 08

UK housebuilders face hard times

Fewer houses built as higher interest rates, credit crunch drive away buyers

(LONDON) Britain’s housebuilders are building fewer homes in the face of tighter mortgage lending and an uncertain price outlook, but slashing volumes and costs may not be enough to lure back investors to the battered sector.

Britain’s major builders completed fewer homes last year – about 76,000, down around 10 per cent on 2006 – as higher interest rates and the global credit crunch drove away buyers.

And things are set to get worse, with analysts predicting 10-16 per cent fewer new homes this year, a price fall of around 3 to 5 per cent and a drop of some 20 per cent in transactions.

Such worries have pushed shares of major housebuilders including Barratt and Taylor Wimpey down more than 50 per cent in the past six months.

The stocks have recouped some of the losses since mid-January, as value investors entered the market, but analysts warn of tougher times ahead and prolonged volatility, as data so far sends mixed signals on the market conditions.

‘Tighter credit is the major constraint, and this is unlikely to change for a while. So no one is expecting that a short, sharp shock will be followed by a swift, V-shaped recovery,’ Charles Stanley analyst Tom Gidley-Kitchin said.

Citigroup and KBC analysts agree the sector is cheap, but they caution that any revaluation is unlikely until late April and May when more solid data on the spring selling season is available.

‘A lot of this (macroeconomic and liquidity risk) is already in share prices . . . (but) our preference is to wait for another three months or so of data, as by then there will be much more evidence of either a stabilisation in the market or a clear drop in activity,’ Citigroup analysts said.

Housebuilders, in the midst of reporting 2007 results, are divided on whether the market is showing signs of recovery after its sharp downturn in the final few months of 2007.

Barratt chief executive Mark Clare, on the one hand, said last week the market was improving more quickly than he had expected.

He pointed to a 36 per cent rise in property viewings from the second half of 2007 and a return in the number of people cancelling reservations to the usual level of about 20 per cent.

These signs of hope were given a tentative boost last week by official figures. While reporting the smallest rise in mortgage lending for 21/2 years, the Bank of England also said that mortgage approvals – an indication of future lending – unexpectedly picked up in January.

But other builders such as Galliford and Redrow turned more cautious, as they prepare to spend more on incentives such as part-exchange deals and mortgage assistance to restore falling sales.

Persimmon reported a 19 per cent fall in presold homes last week versus a 14 per cent drop in January, while Barratt’s forward sales decline was 7 per cent versus 6 per cent in January.

A further weakening in house prices – which in January recorded their biggest quarterly fall in at least a decade – would be a big blow to builders, which are under additional pressure from high prices for raw materials.

Builders’ drive to cut costs, which has been so far centred on reducing labour costs, closing branches and renegotiating terms with subcontractors, will also have only limited impact on improving margins without house price rises, analysts say.

‘We see the new build sector having difficulties cutting costs as land within cost of sales is essentially fixed or rising, materials costs look likely to rise and the hoped for 5-10 per cent cut in labour costs looks hard to achieve,’ KBC analysts said.

Cazenove analysts estimate the impact of lower house prices on builders’ bottom line is four times bigger than a volume change, with a one per cent drop in prices cutting operating profits by 4 per cent.

They believe after a recent recovery, the shares of housebuilders no longer adequately price in the possibility of a recession.

UK housebuilders trade at 9.5 times forecast earnings, versus the overall market’s 11 times.

For longer-term investors, however, builders still appear a good bet, with tight supply of new stock set to continue and a massive discount to their asset values such as land.

The number of households in England is currently estimated to outgrow housing stock by 38,000 a year due to immigration and a growing number of single-member households, according to the government.

Britain already has one of the slowest rate of housing starts across Europe, ahead of only Slovakia, Poland and Germany – a fact which builders, and many industry analysts, blame on the government’s tight planning laws.

‘With an ongoing restrictive planning regime, it is unlikely that enough homes will be built to catch up demand. This is not a problem that will ease over the next few years,’ Panmure analysts said.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

UK lenders lost £700m to mortgage fraud

(LONDON) UK mortgage lenders probably lost £700 million (S$1.9 billion) last year to organised fraud that inflated real estate prices, according Britain’s Association of Chief Police Officers.

Mortgage fraud for profit ranges from overvaluation of newly constructed homes to deliberate ramping of commercial real estate prices, often involving mortgage brokers, appraisers and attorneys, the association said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.

Fraud for profit differs from fraud for property, where individuals inflate salaries or savings to qualify for loans.

Concerns about mortgage fraud are mounting among banks as the UK housing market cools, ending a decade of gains during which property values tripled. Mortgage approvals fell to a nine-year low in January, after lenders granted £370 billion of mortgages last year.

Mortgage fraud ‘remains a significant element of the UK’s annual fraud losses’, said Mike Bowron, commissioner of the police department of the City of London district in the UK capital. His comments accompanied a release on the report’s findings.

In one instance an individual made a profit of more than £10 million through fraud, the police association said. The release didn’t provide details of frauds committed.

Lenders should make more identity checks and seek to establish a central database to flag areas where fraud is more prevalent, police recommended in the report.

Criminal gangs use mortgage fraud as a way of laundering money and making ‘significant’ incomes, the report found, because of the ‘current low risk of detection and high profit opportunities’.

London, the UK’s most expensive property market, was the most active area for fraud, the report found, accounting for 46 per cent of cases.

‘Victims of mortgage fraud range from those who purchase a newly built property only to find that their home is worth considerably less than they paid for it through to those on low incomes who, through the actions of corrupt professionals, take on a debt they simply cannot afford,’ the association said in the report.

The report was based on evidence from 47 UK police forces, government departments, insurance companies, the Financial Services Authority, lending associations and 45 mortgage providers, who represent more than 75 per cent of the market.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

UOL betting big on hospitality business

(SINGAPORE) The UOL Group has earmarked some $500 million – or a third of its available funds – to expand its hospitality business in Asia-Pacific over the next three years, the group’s president and chief executive Gwee Lian Kheng told BT in an interview.

The property company plans to add some 15-20 hotels and service apartment properties over the next three years, Mr Gwee said. ‘(Right now), if you ask me to put down money, I will put it into hospitality,’ he said.

For Singapore especially, the hospitality sector looks to be the brightest going forward – even as the overall property market takes a breather – Mr Gwee said.

Yesterday, UOL launched its new 126-unit service residence development called Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, which the company hopes will be the first of many service residences under the Pan Pacific brand name.

Five such properties could open in the next three years, Mr Gwee said. Next up is Pan Pacific-branded service residences in Bangkok, which will open in about a year.

In Singapore, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites is likely to be the only one of its kind, as rising property prices mean that such an offering will be ‘hard to replicate’, the company said.

‘Moving forward, our strategy is to look at high growth markets such as China, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia,’ Mr Gwee said.

The Singapore property, which is located right next to Somerset MRT station, cost the group $38.5 million to build. Guests can check in from early April, and pre-opening interest has been strong, UOL said.

The company explored building a small office, home office (Soho) development on the site, but decided to go with service residences in order to ride on the current international business expansion into Singapore and the corresponding growth in expatriates looking for short-term housing, as well as the chance to grow the Pan Pacific brand.

UOL bought the hotel brand last year in a bid to become a key player in hotel management in the Asia-Pacific region.

The deal brought the Pan Pacific group’s 12 hotels in the US, Canada and Asia into the UOL portfolio, adding some 3,800 rooms.

Now, UOL is looking to take the brand further with its first foray into service residences.

‘Moving into the extended serviced accommodation business is a logical extension of the brand as it is complementary to our current hotel accommodation offering,’ Mr Gwee said.

UOL itself, however, is not a newcomer to the service residences scene. It owns such a property under its Parkroyal brand, which it will maintain as a four-star property.

Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, on the other hand, is slated to be a five-star offering.

UOL also bought a hotel plot at Upper Pickering Street in a government tender in October last year. This ‘may, or may not’ be branded as a Pan Pacific hotel when it is completed by early-2011, Mr Gwee said.

For the overall property market, Mr Gwee said that UOL is ‘cautiously optimistic’ on the back of the sub- prime lending crisis in the US and the resultant credit crunch.

The developer plans to launch its ‘mid-range’ condo Breeze by the East on Upper East Coast Road as soon as it can.

Mr Gwee expects mid- level home prices to climb at least 10 per cent this year, pushed up by en-bloc sellers looking for replacement homes.

UOL shares closed four cents down at $3.65 yesterday.

Source: Business Times 6 Mar 08

US commercial property seen falling by 20%

But office properties should fare relatively well over the near term, say JPMorgan analysts

(NEW YORK) The US commercial real estate market could decline by as much as 20 per cent over the next five to eight years as tighter credit squeezes business property but with less ferocity than it choked the housing market.

‘We believe commercial real estate loan performance peaked in 2007 and will deteriorate on an accelerating trajectory through 2009,’ JPMorgan analysts said on a conference call on Tuesday.

They said they expect values to fall by 20 per cent from their peak last year, and losses to total about US$120 billion, or 4 per cent of the US$3.2 trillion outstanding commercial real estate loans.

Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS) would account for about US$30 billion of the losses and collateralised debt obligations (CDOs) would account for about US$40 billion of the losses, they said.

CDOs are bonds based on pools of the riskiest CMBS bonds, leases, mezzanine loans and other real- estate related instruments.

CMBS, including CDOs, accounted for 23.6 per cent of lending at the end of the third quarter of 2007, JPMorgan said.

Problems in the CMBS market will become apparent between 2010 and 2012, as many five-year mortgages mature, the JPMorgan analysts said.

This would lead the commercial property market into a more gradual decline than the housing market, which has been slammed by losses related to sub-prime mortgages. Those losses are expected to reach US$200 billion, or 15 per cent of the US$1.25 trillion of outstanding loans, the JPMorgan analysts wrote in a report discussed on the call.

Many commercial properties have been financed with low-interest, five-year mortgages that will have to be refinanced or the properties will have to be sold.

Lenders who do not sell their loans but rather keep them on their balance sheets, such as insurance companies and commercial banks, are expected to loose US$50 billion over the five-to-eight year period, giving them enough time to adjust reserves, the JPMorgan analysts said.

‘The relatively conservative underwriting of banks and insurance companies is likely to insulate them from many of the problems that will plague loans securitised into fixed-rate CMBS,’ the JPMorgan report said.

Moody’s Investors Service recently said it expected commercial property values to decline 15-20 per cent over the next few years and the delinquency rate to increase into the 1-2 per cent range.

But Michael Pralle, former head of GE Real Estate and now president of JER Partners, a real estate private equity firm, said real estate values already have fallen by 10 per cent or 15 per cent. ‘It’s literally the arithmetic of the lending.’

He said many buyers have lowered offers as they factor in the higher costs of borrowing and lower amounts of cash available to borrow.

Office properties, the largest sector of the commercial real estate market ‘. . . should fare relatively well over the near term due to the longer-term nature of their underlying tenant leases’, the JPMorgan analysts wrote. But, they added, retail and hotel properties, which are very sensitive to changes in the overall economy, are expected to underperform.

Benjamin Lambert, chairman of commercial real estate brokerage Eastdil Secured, said values at the very top of the office market would slip slightly, but the overall market may see values decline 10 per cent or 15 per cent. Eastdil Secured is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co.

JPMorgan analysts said they expected that the relatively restrained construction of offices, apartment buildings, warehouses, shopping centres and hotels that occurred between 2003 and 2007 would mitigate losses.

This compares to the residential market, which has suffered from a glut of houses for sale.

JPMorgan also said declines would not be limited to the United States, adding that UK commercial property prices are like to fall 23 per cent and commercial property prices in Europe and Australia are apt to decline by 5 per cent to 10 per cent.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

US housing woes: It’s the affordability, stupid!

GLOOM. Doom. Calamity. Home prices are tumbling. We’re bombarded by sombre reports. But wait. This is actually good news, because lower home prices are the only real solution to the housing collapse. The sooner prices fall, the better. The longer the adjustment takes, the longer the housing slump (weak sales, low construction, high numbers of unsold homes) will last. It’s elementary economics. Say, houses are apples. We have 1,000 apples, priced at US$1 each. They don’t sell. We can either keep the price at US$1 and watch the apples rot. Or we can cut the price until people buy. Housing is no different.

Even many economists – who should know better – describe the present situation as an oversupply of unsold homes. True, there is about 10 months’ supply of existing homes as opposed to four months a few years ago. But the real problem is insufficient demand. There aren’t more homes than there are Americans who want homes; that would be a true surplus.

There’s so much supply because many prospective customers can’t buy at today’s prices. By definition, the ‘housing bubble’ meant that home prices got too high. Easy credit, lax lending standards and panic buying raised them to foolish levels. Weak borrowers got loans. People with good credit borrowed too much. Speculators joined the circus.

Look at some numbers from the (US) National Association of Realtors. From 2000 to 2006, median family income rose almost 14 per cent to US$57,612. Over the same period, the median-priced existing home increased about 50 per cent to US$221,900. By other indicators, the increase was even greater. But home prices could not rise faster than incomes forever.

Inevitably, the bust arrived. Credit standards have now been tightened, and the (false) hope of perpetually rising home prices – along with the possibility of always selling at a profit – has evaporated. For many potential buyers, prices have to drop for housing to become affordable.

How much? No one really knows. There is no national housing market. Prices and family incomes vary by state, city and neighbourhood. Prices rose faster in some areas (Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix) than in others (Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis). Some economists now expect an average national decline of about 20 per cent. The Federal Reserve estimates that owner-occupied real estate is worth almost US$21 trillion. A 20 per cent reduction implies losses of about US$4 trillion.

The largest part would be paper losses for homeowners: values that rose spectacularly will now fall less spectacularly – back to roughly 2004 levels; that’s still 30 per cent or so higher than in 2000. But hundreds of billions of dollars of other losses are already being suffered by builders (from the lower value of land and home inventories), mortgage lenders (from defaulting loans), speculators and homeowners (from lost homes). Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com estimates that mortgage defaults this year will exceed 2 million, up from 893,000 in 2006.

To be sure, all this weakens the economy. No one relishes evicting hundreds of thousands of families from their homes. Eroding real estate values make many consumers less willing to borrow and spend. Some economists fear a vicious downward spiral of home prices. More foreclosures depress prices, increasing foreclosures as people abandon houses where

the mortgage exceeds the value. Losses to banks and other lenders rise, and they curb lending further. Particularly vulnerable would be Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored housing lenders.

Up to a point, there’s a case for providing relief to some mortgage borrowers. In many cases, everyone would gain if lenders and borrowers renegotiated loan terms to reduce monthly payments. Losses to both would be less than if their homes went into foreclosure and were sold. The Treasury has organised voluntary efforts. Some measures being considered by Congress (for example, overhauling the Federal Housing Administration) might help. But other proposals – particularly empowering bankruptcy judges to reduce mortgages unilaterally – would perversely hurt the housing market by raising the cost of mortgage credit. Lenders would increase interest rates or downpayments to compensate for the risk that a court might modify or nullify their loans.

The understandable impulse to minimise foreclosures should not serve as a pretext to prop up the housing market by rescuing too many strapped homeowners. Though cruel, foreclosures and falling home values have the virtue of bringing prices to a level where housing can escape its present stagnation. Helping today’s homeowners makes little sense if it penalises tomorrow’s homeowners. An unstoppable free fall of prices seems unlikely.

Slumping home construction and sales have left much pent-up demand. What will release that demand are affordable prices.

Source: The Washington Post Writers Group(Business Times 6 Mar 08)

US regulators eye next trouble spots

(WASHINGTON) US regulators are watching credit cards and commercial construction loans for signs they may be the next trouble spots as strained financial markets constrain credit.

The housing downturn, with its epicentre in the sub-prime mortgage market, remained atop the list of concerns. But banking regulators and Federal Reserve officials expressed concerns on Tuesday that credit risks may extend beyond mortgages.

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke warned in a speech that mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures would likely rise and more house price declines could be expected.

Mr Bernanke’s second-in-command, Donald Kohn, said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing that the Fed was also keeping a close eye on credit card, home equity and commercial real estate loans as banks cope with a widening range of credit risks.

‘Federal Reserve supervisors are monitoring these consumer loan segments for signs of spillover from residential mortgage problems, particularly in regions showing homeowner distress, and are paying particular attention to the securitisation market for credit card loans,’ he revealed. Mr Kohn added that commercial real estate is ‘another area that requires close supervisory attention’.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Mar 08)

Big US banks poised to fall further, says investment guru

Fed ‘making same errors’ Japan made trying to bail out everyone in 1990s

FINANCIAL guru Jim Rogers painted a doom-and-gloom picture of the United States economy yesterday and predicted that Singapore’s two investment companies would lose money on their recent investments in beleaguered banking giants.

Singapore-based Mr Rogers said investing billions of dollars in banks at this time, with the US financial sector in dire straits, was the wrong move.

He believes ‘banks will fall further’, hence his strategy of ‘shorting investment banks on Wall Street’, including Citigroup and mortgage lender Fannie Mae. ‘Shorting’ means investing on the assumption that the shares will fall further.

Mr Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with billionaire George Soros in the 1970s and predicted the start of the commodities rally in 1999, said he was concerned by the recent bank deals made by Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).

‘It grieves me that Singapore is buying into these things,’ said Mr Rogers.

GIC pumped in 11 billion Swiss francs (S$14.7 billion) for a 9 per cent stake in Swiss bank UBS in December and invested US$6.88 billion (S$9.58 billion) in Citigroup a month later. In December, Temasek bought a US$4.4 billion stake in Merrill Lynch.

UBS shares have fallen by more than 30 per cent this year. Citigroup is down over 20 per cent, while Merrill Lynch is off about 5 per cent.

Mr Rogers told reporters at an ABN Amro product launch that he remained bullish on commodities but extremely bearish on equities, bonds and the greenback.

‘The only bull market I know of in the world right now is the commodities market,’ he said. ‘We’re only one-third of the way through the bull market.’

He also warned that inflation was going to get worse: ‘Demand is going higher at a time when there are supply constraints. Food inventories are at their lowest in 40 years.’

Oil prices also have the potential to go much higher, he said, adding that the US Federal Reserve was making the same mistake Japan did in the 1990s when it wanted to bail out everyone.

The US should have bitten the bullet instead of trying to put on ‘band-aids’, he added, referring to the Fed’s move of cutting interest rates to stave off a recession yet risking stoking the inflation fire.

‘The central bank is making disastrous mistakes,’ said Mr Rogers, adding that he was also ‘extremely pessimistic’ on the US dollar. The currency traded near record lows to the yen and Swiss franc yesterday.

Mr Rogers further forecast that the US sub-prime crisis would continue to haunt the world for a year or two. Even after it has ceased, he said, there will still arise other kinds of loan problems, such as with credit cards and cars.

Source: The Straits Times 6 Mar 08

UOL unit unveils luxury serviced suites in Somerset

IT HAS been 28 years since Singapore’s listed UOL Group launched its last serviced apartment property, the Parkroyal Residences at Beach Road.

Now, it is entering the luxury extended-stay business with the launch of its new property, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, at 96 Somerset Road.

The new property is similar to serviced apartments but has additional luxury features such as round-the-clock personal assistants who can provide guests with local connections to business and social events.

The property is the first of five planned serviced suites that UOL is also planning in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand over the next three years, said Mr Gwee Lian Kheng, group president and chief executive of UOL yesterday.

UOL’s wholly-owned unit Pan Pacific Hospitality, which owns the Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts group of hotels, yesterday unveiled the luxury serviced suites.

The 16-storey building next to the Somerset MRT Station houses 120 one- or two-bedroom suites and six penthouses, ranging from 527 sq ft to 1,689 sq ft in size.

UOL believes demand for luxury serviced suites will rise as the number of international visitors to the region increases.

According to the Pacific Asia Travel Association, the Asia-Pacific region saw 361.7 million visitors last year, a jump of 7.9 per cent from the year before.

Mr Gwee expects another 6 to 7 per cent rise this year.

He also said some demand should be generated from a spillover effect of the current shortage of hotel rooms in Singapore.

There are at least 26 serviced residences in Singapore with about 3,500 units in all, compared with more than 37,000 hotel rooms.

According to CB Richard Ellis, the occupancy rate for serviced apartments in Singapore was 91.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, an increase of 7.5 per cent from the same period in 2006.

Mr Gwee hopes the suites, constructed at a cost of $150 million, will see an occupancy rate of at least 90 per cent after the first six months.

The suites will launch early next month, and rates will range from $10,000 to $25,000 per month, or from $420 to $1,070 per day for a minimum stay of one week.

This is at a premium of 20 to 25 per cent over the market rate, said Mr Kam Tin Seah, UOL’s senior general manager of investment and strategic development.

Pan Pacific Hospitality plans to launch its second serviced suite in Bangkok a year from now. As a group, UOL also plans to roll out between 15 and 20 new hotels and serviced suites over the next three years.

Source: The Straits Times 6 Mar 08

US regulators look for signs of credit crisis spreading

They are keeping a keen eye on credit card, home equity and building loans

WASHINGTON – UNITED States regulators are watching credit card and commercial construction loans for signs that they may be the next trouble spots as strained financial markets constrain credit.

The housing downturn, with its epicentre in the sub- prime mortgage market, stayed atop the list of concerns. But regulators and Federal Reserve officials expressed concerns on Tuesday that credit risks may extend beyond mortgages.

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke said on Tuesday that credit-weary banks may be better off accepting lower home loan principal amounts rather than the bigger losses that would come from foreclosures.

He warned that mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures would likely rise as house prices fall further.

Mr Bernanke’s second-in- command, Mr Donald Kohn, said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the same day that the Fed was also keeping a close eye on credit card, home equity and commercial real estate loans as banks cope with a widening range of credit risks.

‘Federal Reserve supervisors are monitoring these consumer loan segments for signs of spillover from residential mortgage problems, particularly in regions showing home owner distress.

‘And they are paying particular attention to the securitisation market for credit card loans,’ he said. Mr Kohn added that commercial real estate is ‘another area that requires close supervisory attention’.

He noted that while personal bankruptcy rates remained below levels prior to bankruptcy law changes implemented in 2005, they ticked higher over the first nine months of last year and ‘could be a harbinger of increasing delinquency rates on other consumer loans’.

Despite those strains, Mr Kohn said the banking sector remained sound and he saw no threat to banks’ viability.

The credit mess that began with failing US sub- prime mortgage loans has left banks saddled with tens of billions of dollars in bad debts, prompting them to tighten lending standards. That has slowed the flow of cash to firms and consumers who power the US economy.

US Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan echoed concerns that the credit troubles may spread beyond mortgage loans.

‘Although credit card earnings have been fairly robust and portfolios are currently strong, we have a heightened level of concern in this area, even before the numbers confirm any significant deterioration,’ he said.

‘We expect losses from home equity loans to continue to escalate as, unlike first mortgages, these assets are largely held on banks’ balance sheets,’ he added.

But in a sign of how the Fed is conflicted in combating the competing threats of slowing growth and rising prices, another Fed official stressed that inflation was his top concern. ‘Containing inflation is the purpose of the ship I crew for,’ said Dallas Federal Reserve president Richard Fisher.

‘If a temporary economic slowdown is what we must endure while we achieve that purpose, then it is, in my opinion, a burden we must bear, however politically inconvenient,’ he said.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 6 Mar 08)

Analysts paint bleak earnings outlook

Earnings per share growth of S’pore listed companies may not even make 6% this year

(SINGAPORE) Faced with a small domestic market and a very open economy, Singapore companies are highly susceptible to any global slowdown and are therefore expected to chalk up one of the slowest corporate earnings growths in Asia in 2008. This is the conclusion drawn from an aggregate of all analysts’ forecasts by StarMine Professional.

Overall, companies in Singapore may see earnings per share (EPS) improve by a mere 5.9 per cent in 2008, making it the market with the third worst outlook in Asia. Hong Kong fares even worse, with its companies expected to register a 2.5 per cent decline in EPS this year. Malaysia, too, has a negative 0.9 per cent earnings outlook.

StarMine, which compiles analysts’ estimates and provides equity research performance ratings, aggregated analysts’ forecasts of listed companies’ earnings in the coming 12 months and compared them to the trailing 12 months’ estimates.

It gives greater weight to forecasts by analysts which have proved to be the most accurate in the past, and to more recent estimates.

According to this data – called Smart Estimates – Thailand is poised to have the region’s highest growth in EPS – 50.9 per cent in the coming 12 months.

Second is China with an expected growth of 33.6 per cent. Listed companies in India, Indonesia and Korea are expected to boost their EPS by about 17 to 18 per cent each.

Some broking firms’ reports seem to conform with the big picture view presented by StarMine.

In a recent report, Merrill Lynch said that it had done a bottom-up stress test to assess the earnings risks and valuation contraction for the top 30 stocks in the Hang Seng Index (HSI).

‘In aggregate, we see potential 9 per cent downside to 2008E earnings. In this case, we would not see any earnings growth in the HSI this year,’ Merrill Lynch said.

The US investment bank, however, added that it believed the market outlook was unlikely to do worse than its assumptions. ‘The result shows that airlines, consumers, Chinese banks and insurance companies are most sensitive to either macro slowdown or poor A-share market sentiment. HK banks, utilities, oil and telecoms are the most defensive with respectable dividend yield,’ it said.

Citigroup, however, thinks that analysts and investors may still be a little over-optimistic.

‘Region-wide, a 41.5 per cent decline in earnings should not come as a surprise given that it has happened before (when the United States fell into recession),’ said its regional equity strategist Markus Rosgen. ‘A 41.5 per cent decline in 2008 earnings would leave the region on a P/E of 26.2 times, well above most investors’ comfort zone.’

And on the basis of price-to-book ratio, assuming that any upcoming recession is no better or worse than the last two, stock prices in Asia excluding Japan as a region could fall by 47 per cent from current levels, he warned.

Indeed, in the last 30 days or so, StarMine’s data showed that there have been continuous downward revisions of earnings for the region by analysts.

Sri Lanka has had the largest downgrades of earnings, by 5.3 per cent. Corporate Taiwan’s EPS estimates were also cut by 3.5 per cent compared with a month ago, while Japan’s and Singapore’s were trimmed by 2.9 and 2.5 per cent respectively.

The markets whose earnings estimates were upgraded in the last 30 days were Indonesia and India.

In aggregate, analysts bumped up their estimates of Indonesian companies by 1.7 per cent, and Indian companies by a marginal 0.4 per cent.

Generally, market prices are pegged to the growth outlook for the various markets. For example, China – with an expected earnings growth of 34 per cent – is trading at 24.7 times forward earnings and six times the book value of the companies’ assets.

In contrast, Singapore is trading at just 10.9 times its forward earnings and 2.5 times its book value.

Given that certain markets are valued richly based on the very high earnings expectations, any disappointments will have severe consequences on stock prices.

Meanwhile, there are also markets with high growth expectations but low valuation. Thailand and Korea are trading at just over 11 times their forward earnings, despite their pretty robust earnings growth expectations.

Timothy Wong, head of regional equity research with DBS Vickers Securities, explained that Thailand companies’ earnings are coming off from a low base. This accounts for the high EPS growth rates.

But the market’s overall valuation is low because it is perceived as a higher-risk emerging market.

‘On the political front, there remain a number of uncertainties, although things are moving in the right direction. And corporate earnings will come through only if the country progresses on the right course,’ he said.

As for Korea, the market has historically traded at a discount to other markets. This is due to the structure of the market where there are a lot of chaebols or conglomerates. Also, there are questions on corporate governance, said Mr Wong.

Calculations by Citigroup’s Mr Rosgen also showed investors to have very low expectations of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, making them the three cheapest markets in Asia. ‘Given the risks in the global economy at the moment, we’d rather buy low expectations than high expectations,’ he said.

Source: Business Times 5 Mar 08

Banks hit by sub-prime may need more cash

Dubai fund chief says much more is needed to rescue Citigroup, others

(DUBAI) Banks and securities firms led by Citigroup may need more money from Arab states as losses stemming from the collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market increase, the head of Dubai International Capital said.

Citigroup, the biggest US bank by assets, received a US$7.5 billion cash infusion from Dubai’s neighbour, Abu Dhabi, on Nov 27 to replenish capital after record mortgage losses destroyed almost half its market value, leading to the departure of chief executive Charles Prince. Citigroup has since received cash from Singapore and Kuwait.

‘In my view it will take a lot more than that to rescue Citi and other financial institutions,’ Sameer al-Ansari told a private equity conference in Dubai yesterday.

Gulf states including Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have bought into US financial institutions such as Merrill Lynch & Co, Morgan Stanley and UBS, after they lost more than US$163 billion betting on securities backed by sub-prime mortgages.

Banks and securities firms have raised US$105 billion from selling stakes to cover sub-prime losses.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim bin Jaber al-Thani said on Feb 18 that the emirate is buying shares in Credit Suisse Group and plans to spend as much as US$15 billion on European and US bank stocks over the next year.

Abu Dhabi is Citigroup’s largest shareholder, ahead of Los Angeles-based Capital Group Cos and Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, according to Bloomberg data.

State-managed funds in countries including Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and South Korea have ballooned to US$3.2 trillion in assets.

Fuelled by record oil prices and rising currency reserves, sovereign fund assets may gain four-fold to US$12 trillion by 2015, equal to the capitalisation of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, according to Morgan Stanley estimates.

Merrill Lynch & Co analyst Guy Moszkowski said that Citigroup will likely post a loss for the first quarter because the largest US bank by assets may take further ‘big writedowns’.

The analyst slashed his first-quarter estimate for Citigroup to a loss of US$1.66 per share from a profit of 55 cents a share. Mr Moszkowski cut his 2008 forecast to a profit of 24 cents a share from US$2.74.

The first-quarter estimate is based on an expected US$15 billion writedown related to sub-prime mortgages and so-called collateralised debt obligations, along with a US$3 billion writedown for other investments, Merrill said.

‘We remain concerned about loss provision potential, the direction of long-term strategy, and weak markets for the capital markets business,’ Mr Moszkowski wrote.

Citigroup posted a US$9.8 billion loss for the fourth quarter, the widest in its 196-year history, and wrote down CDOs linked to sub-prime mortgages by US$20 billion. The bank’s shares have tumbled 53 per cent in the past year.

Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg on average estimate that Citigroup will post a profit of 34 cents a share this quarter, excluding some items.

Merrill also cut its first-quarter profit estimate for Bank of America Corp, the second-biggest US bank by assets, to 58 cents a share from 94 cents. The brokerage trimmed its 2008 estimate for Wachovia Corp, the country’s fourth-largest lender, to US$2.50 a share from US$3.20.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 5 Mar 08)

Buy-and-hold strategy looks as good as it ever will

WHAT a difference a year makes. Each year, Jim Reid and his colleagues at Deutsche Bank AG publish an influential analysis of credit markets that puts current yields and fundamentals in historical perspective.

If you buy a bond from a company that might go bankrupt, then you expect to receive a higher interest rate. In an efficient and well-functioning market, the higher yield in a diversified portfolio of such bonds should offset the losses you would incur over time because of defaults. If a 10-year Treasury is yielding 4 per cent, then you should only buy a 10-year bond from a company with a good chance of defaulting if the yield is significantly higher than 4 per cent.

How much higher? That is exactly the question addressed with impressive analytical precision by the Deutsche Bank report. It provides a great thermometer reading of the bond market. The report calculates how large the default probabilities must be to command the current yields on different classes of bonds.

A comparison of this year’s report with last year’s provides a striking and even startling view of how rough the credit crisis has become.

‘Last year, spreads on high-yield bonds were so low that you could have expected to lose money if you purchased them, even if they defaulted at the lowest rate in history,’ Mr Reid, head of fundamental credit research at Deutsche Bank in London, said in an interview last week. ‘This year, spreads are so high that you can expect to make money even if they default at the highest rate in history.’

Default rate

That’s one way to say that corporate bonds look like a good buy right now. If you think about it in terms of implied default probabilities, the analysis gets downright shocking.

Looking at the iBoxx Dollar Liquid Investment Grade Index, Mr Reid and his colleagues estimated that current spreads imply that 19 per cent of five-year bonds in the index will default during the next five years. This is an unbelievably high rate.

The highest default rate for these bonds was just 2.4 per cent, and the average rate since 1970 was 0.8 per cent. From Citigroup Inc to JPMorgan Chase & Co, financial firms have been particularly hard hit in this crisis. This is apparent in Mr Reid’s numbers as well. Current prices suggest that 21 per cent of five-year bonds in the financial industry are expected to default during the next five years. This places financial bonds – the debt of some of the bluest of blue-chip firms – smack dab between single A- rated bonds (which have an implied expected default rate of 20 per cent) and BBB-rated bonds (which have an implied expected default rate of 22 per cent).

Historical record

Those implied default rates are also way outside of historical experience. The highest five-year default rate for A- rated bonds was 2.5 per cent. The most for BBB-rated bonds was 5.8

per cent. The mayhem, of course, hasn’t just affected five-year bonds. Longer maturities have even more extreme default scenarios priced in. Current prices suggest that 29 per cent of corporate bonds will default over the next 10 years. That rate is six times higher than any 10-year period since 1970.

It is worth noting that these default probabilities are probably somewhat inflated, as default risk isn’t the sole consideration when looking at bond prices. Even so, the market is pricing in a bond-market catastrophe that’s far worse than anything that has ever happened.

What should one make of these numbers? Even an optimist should be startled by what bond markets are saying. The market isn’t just expecting a downturn; it’s expecting a calamity. A University of Chicago-style believer in the absolute wisdom of markets should be loading up on canned goods and checking the fortification of his underground bunker.

A more rational response to this report might be to recognise that markets, while they are right on average, tend to overreact in both directions. A person with this sentiment would have looked at last year’s prices and concluded that they were irrationally low. Now, panic has set in and spreads are way too high, pricing in something close to the end of civilisation. The world economy has survived wars, oil embargoes and even a depression. That suggests that it can survive this, too, even if things get worse before they get better. If you believe that, then a buy-and-hold strategy on bonds looks about as good as it ever will. If enough investors see that, then this credit crunch might finally begin to ease.

Kevin Hassett is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 5 Mar 08)

China losing competitive edge in some industries: survey

(SHANGHAI) China is fast losing its manufacturing competitiveness in some industries, and companies need to upgrade their operations there to stay profitable, according to a survey released yesterday.

The study comes amid reports that thousands of manufacturers, both Chinese and foreign, are shifting operations away from coastal regions, where labour and other costs are eroding their profitability, to inland areas or other countries. The ‘China Manufacturing Competitiveness’ survey by the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce found that more than half of the 66 foreign invested companies responding believe China is losing its competitive advantage over other ‘low cost’ countries, such as Vietnam and India.

‘The days of easy China manufacturing are at an end,’ said Ted Hornbein, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai’s Manufacturers Business Council. ‘You can’t just view it as a workshop anymore.’

The companies surveyed, most of which were based in eastern China near Shanghai, said wages are rising an average 9 per cent to 10 per cent a year, with costs for raw materials up more than 7 per cent, the report said.

But companies can do more to improve their own operations to counter those trends, said Ronald Haddock, vice-president of consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, which conducted the study.

‘China’s competitiveness is at risk,’ Mr Haddock said. ‘The question is, is there something we can do about it?’ While many low-cost makers of cheaper products such as shoes, clothing and toys are shifting production to inland regions of China where wages and other costs can be lower, or to other developing countries. Mr Haddock said the survey results showed that many manufacturers could boost profitability by improving how they operate.

If companies don’t improve their management approach, ‘we think it is going to get pretty ugly for some of them,’ he said.

A crucial strategy used by the most profitable companies surveyed was to ensure China operations fit into their global supply chains – how the companies source, make and distribute products.

‘Starting with the right mind-set is the beginning,’ Mr Haddock said.

Source: AP (Business Times 5 Mar 08)

Bernanke urges more action to fix housing slump

Vigorous response needed to reduce rising foreclosures, says Fed chief

(WASHINGTON) Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke called yesterday for additional action to prevent more distressed US homeowners from falling into foreclosure.

‘This situation calls for a vigorous response,’ Mr Bernanke said in a speech to a banking group in Florida.

Even with some relief efforts under way by industry and government, foreclosures and late payments on home mortgages are likely to rise ‘for a while longer’, Mr Bernanke warned.

Rising foreclosures threaten to worsen the problems in the housing market and for the US economy, which many fear is on the verge of a recession or in one already.

‘Reducing the rate of preventable foreclosures would promote economic stability for households, neighbourhoods and the nation as a whole,’ Mr Bernanke said. ‘Although lenders and servicers have scaled up their efforts and adopted a wider variety of loss-mitigation techniques, more can, and should be, done,’ the Fed chief noted.

One of the suggestions Mr Bernanke made was for mortgage and other financial companies to reduce the amount of the loan to provide relief to a struggling owner. ‘Principal reductions that restore some equity for the homeowner may be a relatively more effective means of avoiding delinquency and foreclosure,’ Mr Bernanke explained.

With low or negative equity in their home, a stressed borrower has less ability – because there is no home equity to tap – and less financial incentive to try to remain in the home, he said.

Mr Bernanke acknowledged this idea might be a tough sell to lenders. Lenders, he noted, are reluctant to write down principal. ‘They said that if they were to write down the principal and house prices were to fall further, they could feel pressured to write down principal again,’ Mr Bernanke pointed out.

Still, Mr Bernanke suggested such longer-term permanent solutions may work better than shorter term and temporary ones, where the distressed homeowner could find himself in trouble again. ‘When the mortgage is ‘under water’, a reduction in principal may increase the expected payoff by reducing the risk of default and foreclosure,’ he said.

To date, permanent home mortgage modifications that have occurred have typically involved a reduction in the interest rate, while reductions of the principal balance of the loan have been quite rare, he said.

‘Measures that lead to a sustainable outcome are to be preferred to temporary palliatives, which may only put off foreclosure and perhaps increase its ultimate costs,’ Mr Bernanke said.

Lenders last year were on pace to initiate roughly 1.5 million home foreclosure proceedings, up from an average of fewer than one million new foreclosures in the preceding two years, the Fed chief said.

More than one half of the foreclosures started in 2007 were on sub-prime loans given to borrowers with blemished credit histories or low incomes.

Source: AP (Business Times 5 Mar 08)

For sale: 18th floor of Peninsula Plaza at $17.5m

NOVELTY Department Store Pte Ltd, part of the Novelty Group, has put the entire 18^th floor of Peninsula Plaza up for sale, with a price tag of about $17.5 million or about $2,050 per square foot (psf) of strata area.

Peninsula Plaza is a 999-year leasehold building near Raffles City. DTZ is marketing the property.

The 18th floor comprises six strata units adding up to 8,514 sq ft – all of which are leased. Tenancies for five units are up for renewal/expiry later this year, while the lease on the sixth unit runs out in mid-2009.

The $17.5 million price tag reflects a passing net yield – that is based on existing contracted rents – of about 2 per cent.

However, DTZ notes that current monthly asking rents for offices in the building range from $7 psf to $8 psf.

Assuming an average rental of $7.50 psf, the $2,050 psf asking price reflects a net yield of about 3.5 per cent.

‘The potential buyer may also further capitalise on this investment opportunity and subsequently offer to resell the six strata units individually to take advantage of rising capital values of smaller strata office space,’ said DTZ senior director (investment advisory services and auction) Shaun Poh.

The property provides an opportunity to invest in ‘good quality and well maintained office space’, he said. ‘Strong demand and rising rental rates for office space in the Central business

District are expected to continue, providing income growth from the asset.’

DTZ is marketing the property through an expression of interest exercise that closes on April 1.

In December, a first-storey freehold office unit at United House, behind Le Meridien Singapore Hotel at Orchard Road, fetched $2,497 psf of strata area at an auction.

Far East Organization is said to have sold an entire office floor last year at The Central, a 99-year leasehold development above Clarke Quay MRT Station, for $3,050 psf.

Novelty Group is involved in the property and department store businesses. Its upcoming residential developments include i Residences, a freehold development with 70 apartments in the Irrawaddy Road area, and the 35-unit Evania at Upper Paya Lebar Road.

Source: Business Times 5 Mar 08

KepLand to launch US$206m Vietnam project in Q4

AFTER announcing eight new development projects in Vietnam last year, Keppel Land plans to launch one of these in the fourth quarter of this year.

In a statement released yesterday, Keppel Land said that it has been awarded the investment certificate by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee for its new waterfront residential development in Vietnam.

The joint-venture project, to be developed in phases, is a 2,400-unit condominium development in District 7 fronting the Ca Cam River in Ho Chi Minh City. The first phase, comprising 700 units, is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter.

The total investment capital for the project is estimated to be US$206 million. Riviera Point, the joint-venture company undertaking the project, will have a registered capital of US$62 million. Keppel Land, through a wholly owned subsidiary, Elaenia Pte Ltd, will take a 75 per cent or US$46.5 million stake in Riviera, with Tan Truong Co Ltd taking the remaining 25 per cent.

Keppel Land International executive director and CEO Ang Wee Gee said that its earlier projects in Vietnam, like the fully sold Villa Riviera and Phase One of the 1,500-unit The Estella, have been well received.

‘With rising affluence and exposure afforded by travel overseas, Vietnamese home-buyers have become more discerning about quality and the lifestyle associated with their homes,’ he added.

The luxury condominium to be developed will sit on an 8.5-ha site. It will have recreational facilities including a clubhouse, a swimming pool and tennis courts and 24-hour security.

The news of the launch of this development comes after Keppel Land recently revealed plans for its Saigon Centre, a retail and financial complex of three towers, with its tallest tower of 88 storeys expected to be among the world’s tallest.

Keppel Land also has a pipeline of over 25,000 homes in the Vietnamese cities of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Dong Nai.

Source: Business Times 5 Mar 08

Key S’pore economic indicator takes another dip

PMI now just above threshold between expansion and contraction

(SINGAPORE) The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) slid for a third straight month in February, with declines in export orders and output. But the electronics index edged up, even though orders were also weak.

With its latest 0.2-point drop, the PMI – a barometer of the manufacturing economy – is now down to 50.3, just above the 50-point threshold between expansion and contraction.

The electronics PMI, which had fallen in the preceding three months, surprisingly added 0.4-point to 51.2 – despite declines in key indicators such as new orders and output.

The overall PMI covers 12 manufacturing industries, including electronics.

The Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management (SIPMM) polls purchasing executives from some 150 companies every month to produce the index.

While a fall in the readings usually spells decline, February’s lower figures might also be due partly to the shorter month (rather than totally reflecting weaker demand) as the comparisons are with the preceding month, rather than year-on-year.

Still, past readings show that not every February PMI is down, and March – a much ‘bigger’ month – has also yielded lower readings.

Lau Geok Theng, associate professor at the National University of Singapore Business School and vice-chairman of the SIPMM council, reckons the slight dip in the February PMI reflects some uncertainty as markets react ‘suspiciously’ to official measures taken to keep the US economy from falling into recession.

These include the proposed US$145 billion economic stimulus package and the recent 0.75-point cut in US interest rates to 3.5 per cent.

There is also a ‘wait and see’ attitude as businesses deliberate over the outcome of the upcoming election in the United States and other countries such as Malaysia, as well as in Pakistan where elections were held last month, so as to assess long-term directions and plans, he said.

According to SIPMM executive director Janice Ong, citing anecdotal evidence, local manufacturers remained cautious last month but were still expecting a surge in demand.

The PMI readings show big increases in the raw material inventory sub-indices, but marked decreases in the finished goods figures. But the latter remains above 50 points, indicating an accumulation of unsold goods.

Source: Business Times 5 Mar 08

Time to plan for the recovery that’s lying around the corner

(NEW YORK) Say the economy has fallen into recession, as so many people on and off Wall Street think. Is it time to bail out of stocks?

Selling may be the reflexive response by shareholders who have watched the value of their assets decline in step with economic indicators, but investment advisers contend that they should consider buying instead. Recessions tend to be short, and by the time one is widely acknowledged, they say, investors have often sold just in time to miss the recovery that lies around the corner.

‘People should be preparing for the next upswing because the downturn is already priced in,’ advised Ron Muhlenkamp, manager of the Muhlenkamp Fund.

Brendt Stallings, a fund manager for the TCW Group who specialises in shares of medium-size companies, suggests that investors may not be fearing the worst but that they certainly have it on their minds. And that has already registered in stock prices.

Portfolio managers who foresee a rebound concentrate their buying on segments of the economy that tend to outperform as a new growth cycle gathers momentum. They are not allocating all of their resources to such recovery plays, though, and are making allowances  for conditions that seem to be different from those of other recessions.

‘The normal rotation that occurs is a move into financials and consumer cyclicals,’ Mr Muhlenkamp noted before conceding that ‘normal’ does not quite describe the financial sector and such cyclical industries as housing these days. He likes some financial stocks, notably the mortgage buyer and seller Fannie Mae, but he prefers consumer-oriented companies like appliance maker Whirlpool and two transportation companies: Harley-Davidson and Winnebago.

Continuing with his eclectic list of companies that get people from here to there, he expects the stocks of Boeing and Caterpillar to rise with, or ahead of, the economy. A point in their favour, he said, is the level of the US dollar; it is far weaker than it was during the 2001 recession, giving American exporters a competitive edge.

Barbara Walchli, manager of the Aquila Rocky Mountain Equity fund, is another advocate of transportation stocks. The sector, she said, is ‘usually one of the groups that moves fastest coming off the bottom’.

One of the fastest of the fast may be Knight Transportation, a midsize trucking concern. Ms Walchli lauded Knight’s management for keeping the company’s books free of debt, unlike rival Swift Transportation, which she said had borrowed heavily to take itself private. She also likes Avnet, a distributor of electronic components to businesses. It fits well with her expectation that businesses will open their wallets before consumers as the economy emerges from its torpor.

Mr Stallings also foresees business spending picking up sooner, and he prefers potential beneficiaries of the trend that have a global reach.

Examples include Spirit AeroSystems, a supplier of commercial airline assemblies and components, and two companies, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Resources Connection, that provide outsourced labour to fulfil administrative or technical services for other businesses.

He also expects consumers to do their fair share in helping the economy bounce back. Among his favourite recovery plays here are three chains of different sorts: P F Chang’s China Bistro, which operates restaurants; pet supply company PetSmart; and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

‘It’s an interesting time to be a bottom-up fundamental growth manager,’ Mr Stallings said. ‘Everything is on sale across the board.’

Before buying stocks to anticipate a blast-off out of recession, investors must buy the premise that a recession is here. Many do not, including John Lynch, chief market analyst at Evergreen Investments.

‘The classic ingredients for a recession have been tight monetary policy and runaway inflation, especially wage inflation, and neither of those exists today,’ Mr Lynch said, despite some signs that inflation has been increasing.

He acknowledges that a third sign of recession – fear – is here, and then some, but he still describes the economy as being in ‘the late stages of expansion’ or possibly ‘knocking on the door of a recession’. That is only likely to postpone the reckoning until next year, he said.

In his view, the best companies in which to invest between now and then are in defensive areas like health care and basic consumer items, or in segments of technology that derive much of their revenue from businesses. Despite his less positive economic outlook, he, too, anticipates strong capital spending.

Defensive selections include Procter & Gamble, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Among tech stocks that he mentioned are Intel, Microsoft and Oracle.

Even investment advisers who say the economy is approaching a trough prefer to hedge against the possibility that they are wrong.

David Fording, co-manager of the William Blair Growth fund, prefers consumer businesses that derive much of their sales abroad, where economic conditions appear less fragile. Mr Fording said he recently bought shares of the retailer Coach for that reason.

‘There are a number of growth drivers for Coach in the US and, more important, it’s a global brand,’ he said. His more conventional recovery choices include Fastenal, a supplier of construction and industrial supplies, and McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants.

Such domestically focused companies are worth owning ‘if you feel that there’s a decent probability that we’ll make it through this rough patch’, Mr Fording said.

How rough will it be? He cautioned investors to expect conditions over the short term that are uncomfortable, but not necessarily unprofitable.

‘Regardless of whether we see really negative headlines for the next three to six months,’ he said, ‘it might very well be the case that the market climbs the wall of worry and looks past

the bad news to a recovery in 2009′.

Source: NYT (Business Times 5 Mar 08)

Singapore tops among Asian expats: survey

The Republic is the best place for them to live worldwide; Baghdad ranks last

(SINGAPORE) The Republic ranks as the best place for Asian expatriates to live worldwide, according to the latest survey by human resources consultancy firm ECA International.

Singapore surpasses cosmopolitan cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Copenhagen in Asian expatriates’ view, the survey showed. These cities are ranked second, third and fifth respectively in the top 15 locations for Asian expatriate living.

Meanwhile, Kobe (joint third with Melbourne), Yokohama (eighth), Tokyo and Hong Kong (both 15th) are the only other Asian destinations that made it to the top 15 list.

Conducted annually, the Location Ranking Survey compares living standards in 254 locations globally, taking into account climate, air quality, health services, housing and utilities, isolation, social network and leisure facilities, infrastructure, personal safety and political tensions.

‘High quality infrastructure and health facilities, combined with low health risks, air pollution, crime rates and a cosmopolitan population, make Singapore a very appealing location for Asians to live in,’ said Lee Quane, general manager of ECA International.

‘Although we did see a small deterioration in some factors, such as air quality and accommodation in 2007, it still retains its status as being the location with the best quality of living for assignees in this region.’

He explained that Singapore ‘was much more affected by haze in 2007′ compared with the preceding year, causing it to lose points in the air quality category. Meanwhile, ‘recent market developments in en bloc (property sales) had an impact on the supply of standard accommodation’.

Nevertheless, Singapore has consistently been ranked the best location for Asian expats to live for a decade, said Mr Quane, who believes that it will retain that spot despite ‘Hong Kong moving up our rankings’ this year after sliding for several years, due to improved personal security scores and the movements of locations around it.

‘We now see the narrowing in quality of living between Singapore and Hong Kong, but it is unlikely that Hong Kong will match Singapore. The main reason is (Hong Kong’s) air pollution, which is unlikely to go away any time soon,’ he explained.

At the other extreme, Baghdad is the least favourable place for Asian expats to live in, followed by Kabul (Afghanistan), Karachi (Pakistan) and Port-au-Prince (Haiti), due to the locations’ risk to personal security and their lack of suitable facilities, according to the survey.

Source: Business Times 5 Mar 08

US economy already in recession: Buffett

He sees slowdown across the board; withdraws offer to guarantee bonds

NEW YORK – BILLIONAIRE investor Warren Buffett said the United States economy is in a recession and that stocks are ‘not cheap’ despite recent declines.

He also said he is no longer offering to guarantee US$800 billion (S$1.12 trillion) of municipal bonds backed by MBIA, Ambac Financial Group and FGIC, three bond insurers that ran into trouble from backing riskier debt.

Speaking on CNBC television on Monday, Mr Buffett said the economy is heading south even though gross domestic product (GDP) has not yet fallen for two straight quarters, a definition that many economists use to identify a recession.

He also said the slowing economy and the housing slump are hurting his insurance and investment company Berkshire Hathaway, whose 76 operating units sell things such as bricks, real estate brokerage services and underwear.

‘By any common sense definition, we are in a recession,’ Mr Buffett said. ‘Business is slowing down. We have retail stores in candy, home furnishings and jewellery. Across the board, I’m seeing a significant slowdown.’

Last week, the Commerce Department said America’s GDP rose at an annual rate of just 0.6 per cent in the fourth quarter.

Mr Buffett, 77, is one of the world’s richest people and is regarded by many as America’s greatest investor. Forbes magazine last September estimated his net worth at US$52 billion.

He said economic conditions have not deteriorated to the levels of 1973 and 1974, when there was a deep recession also marked by rising oil prices and falling stocks.

On Feb 12, Mr Buffett offered to reinsure US$800 billion of relatively safe municipal bonds, which are typically used to finance things such as hospitals, roads and schools. But he offered to back the bonds only at a steep premium. His offer also excluded risky debt, including securities tied to US sub-prime mortgages.

Bond insurers rejected the offer and have been seeking new sources of capital. Some have also been considering separating their municipal bond business from riskier businesses.

Mr Buffett on Monday said his earlier offer is now ‘not on the table’, and added that ‘we tossed our hat in the ring and they tossed the hat back’.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 5 Mar 08)

Bernanke urges banks to forgive part of mortgages

ORLANDO – FEDERAL Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, battling the worst United States housing recession in a quarter century, has urged lenders to forgive portions of mortgages for more borrowers whose home values have declined.

‘Efforts by both government and private sector entities to reduce unnecessary foreclosures are helping, but more can, and should, be done,’ he said in a speech yesterday. ‘Principal reductions that restore some equity for the home owner may be a relatively more effective means of avoiding delinquency and foreclosure.’

Mr Bernanke’s call goes beyond the stance of the Bush administration and previous Fed comments.

By comparison, the central bank’s Feb 27 report to Congress called for lenders to ‘pursue prudent loan workouts’ through means such as modifying mortgage terms and deferring payments.

‘Delinquencies and foreclosures likely will continue to rise for a while longer,’ Mr Bernanke said in his comments to the Independent Community Bankers of America.

‘Declines in short-term interest rates and initiatives involving rate freezes will reduce the impact somewhat, but interest rate resets will, nevertheless, impose stress on many households.’

In the past, home owners could refinance, though that option is now ‘largely’ gone because sales of bonds backed by sub-prime mortgages ‘have virtually halted’, Mr Bernanke said. ‘This situation calls for a vigorous response.’

He acknowledged this idea might be a tough sell to lenders. Lenders, he said, are reluctant to write down principal.

‘They said that if they were to write down the principal and house prices were to fall further, they could feel pressured to write down principal again.’

Mr Bernanke said by cutting the amount of the loan, this ‘may increase the expected payoff by reducing the risk of default and foreclosure’.

Source: BLOOMBERG NEWS, ASSOCIATED PRESS (The Straits Times 5 Mar 08)

‘Magic dollars’ scam lets HDB flat sellers pocket cash

They declare a lower price, thus keeping the difference instead of returning funds to CPF

A NEW scam involving HDB flats has surfaced, this time allowing flat sellers to pocket extra cash by craftily getting around the rules.

The so-called ‘magic dollars’ scam involves reporting a falsely low sale price to the HDB – an offence which is punishable by a jail term and/or a fine.

Agents say they are seeing these cases pop up on a more regular basis, but it is not rampant yet.

This is how it works.

The seller is typically a flat owner who bought his HDB flat at the peak of the last property boom, so he has made significant paper losses despite the recent run-up in prices.

If he sells the flat, the proceeds may be barely enough to cover the balance of his mortgage and any leftover will probably have to go back into his CPF account. So he ends up not getting his hands on any ready cash at all.

To pocket some cash or what is sometimes known as ‘magic dollars’, he strikes a deal with the buyer of his flat.

He gets the buyer to agree to declare to the HDB that the flat was sold for a much lower price. The buyer then pays the difference between the actual and declared price to the seller in cash.

To sweeten the deal, the seller usually gives the buyer a discount on the market value of the flat.

The scam is crafty because, on paper, these transactions can look flawless and are hard to detect.

Privately, the agent drafts a ‘letter of undertaking’, binding the buyer to pay the seller cash – sometimes under the pretext of paying for furniture and fixtures.

When the buyer pays up and the deal is done, the agent destroys the document and any paper trail. Neither the HDB, property agencies or lawyers will ever see it.

Everyone is a winner. The buyer gets a good deal and the seller gets some cash. But the catch is: The scam carries a jail term and/or a fine.

The deal is illegal because the seller is indirectly siphoning off money in advance from his CPF.

The HDB told The Straits Times that it was a ‘serious offence’ to declare false resale prices, adding that if there was sufficient evidence, the case would be referred to the police.

Conviction could bring fines of up to $5,000 or jail of up to three years.

Such scams are not new to the market and HDB flat owners sometimes resort to them when they want to unlock cash.

In 2001, a ‘cash-back’ scheme was exposed, which involved over-declaring the agreed selling price.

It allowed the buyer to get a higher loan either from a bank or the HDB, with the ‘extra’ cash divided out among those involved.

Agency bosses told The Straits Times that they strictly discourage agents from handling these sales.

But despite the risk of getting caught, agents say such deals are popular in estates such as Simei, Pasir Ris and Bishan, which commanded high prices in the previous boom.

Some say the deals started surfacing as early as last April, when the HDB market started to pick up.

Resale prices rose 17.5 per cent last year after years in the doldrums, prompting more flat owners to think about selling their flats.

An agency boss, who declined to be named, has heard of up to 30 such cases.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said it was hard to determine exactly how many such deals are being done, but he estimated that about 80,000 – or 10 per cent – of HDB homes are still in negative equity.

Negative equity means a flat owner’s mortgage is worth more than the home’s value now. Owners of these flats are more likely to take part in such deals.

Another agent said he is approached at least once a month to take part in such deals but he turns them down. ‘This is my rice bowl.

Why would I want to risk going to jail for just a sale?’ he said.

Source: The Straits Times 5 Mar 08

Buffett retracts US$800b bond guarantee offer

Separately, he says US economy is in recession, stocks are not cheap

(NEW YORK) Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said yesterday that the US economy is in recession and that stocks are not cheap, despite recent declines.

Speaking on CNBC television, Mr Buffett also said that he is no longer offering to guarantee US$800 billion of municipal bonds backed by MBIA Inc, Ambac Financial Group Inc and FGIC Corp, three large bond insurers.

He said that ‘from a common-sense standpoint right now, we’re in a recession’, though the US economy has not yet recorded two straight quarters of declining gross domestic product, a traditional indicator of recession.

He said that the environment is ‘nothing like ’73 or ’74 yet’, referring to a deep economic downturn also marked by rising oil prices, higher inflation and falling stocks. Still, he said that investors should not rule out a significant economic downturn, and that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has a ‘very tough balancing act’ in trying to boost economic growth without kindling inflation.

Mr Buffett said that there is a fair chance that inflation may ignite in a ‘serious way’.

On Friday, his insurance and investment company Berkshire Hathaway Inc reported an 18 per cent decline in fourth-quarter profit. This stemmed in part from weakness in businesses linked to housing, including units that make bricks and carpet, and that offer real estate brokerage services.

Mr Buffett said that he was finding more buying opportunities in stocks following a 16 per cent decline in the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index from its recent high in October. ‘I find more things to look at now than I did six months or a year ago.’

But he acknowledged that conditions have changed ‘more dramatically’ in the bond market. Berkshire last year spent US$19.11 billion on stocks and US$13.39 billion on bonds.

Falling security values and liquidity have pummelled bond insurers, which normally insure relatively safe municipal bonds but also guaranteed billions of dollars of riskier debt, often tied to sub-prime mortgages.

On Feb 12, Mr Buffett offered to reinsure US$800 billion of municipal bonds, but only at a steep premium. The offer did not include the riskier debt. Bond insurers rejected the offer and have been seeking new sources of capital or possibly breaking themselves up.

Mr Buffett yesterday said that his earlier offer was ‘not on the table’. In December, he started his own bond insurer, Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Corp.

Since 1965, Mr Buffett has transformed Berkshire Hathaway Inc into a US$216 billion conglomerate by acquiring out-of-favour companies with strong earnings and management, and investing in stocks.

Berkshire’s Class A shares closed on Friday at US$140,000. Through Friday, they had risen 32 per cent in the last year.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

China property shares cut to ‘underweight’

BNP slashes 2008 earnings growth for industry to 31%

(HONG KONG) Investors should cut their holdings in Chinese property because of a slowdown in housing starts and home prices that will crimp earnings growth, BNP Paribas said.

The bank downgraded China real estate shares to ‘underweight’ from ‘overweight’, and slashed the 2008 earnings growth forecast for the industry to 31 per cent from 47 per cent, Hong Kong-based BNP analyst Andy So wrote in a research report published today.

‘Housing starts, bank loans and prices all showed signs of slowing down,’ Mr So said in his report. He named Hong Kong-listed Shimao Property Ltd as his top pick in the sector.

Home prices in some of China’s biggest cities including Shanghai and Shenzhen fell in the first two months of 2008 as government efforts to curb the soaring property market started to bite. The government sought to restrain the industry after home prices in 70 major cities surged 10.5 per cent in November and December from a year earlier, the most since the index began in July 2005.

Mr So reduced his price estimates for companies including Beijing Capital Land Ltd, China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd and Guangzhou R&F Properties Co.

Some smaller developers may struggle to maintain profit growth and be forced out of business as banks continue to tighten lending, Standard & Poor’s said in a Feb 28 report.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

Far East’s Leong Horn Kee calling it a day after 15 yrs

PROPERTY giant Far East Organization announced yesterday that executive director Leong Horn Kee would be leaving the company on June 30 after more than 15 years of service.Mr Leong, who served as Member of Parliament for 32 years until he retired in 2006, said that he was venturing out to work on his own ‘projects’.

‘I’m 56 years old now and I’ve had a good run in government service, GLCs, the financial sector and the private sector. It’s time to move on and I have some private business ventures in mind. Far East is in great shape and will continue to do well.’

A Colombo Plan scholar, Mr Leong started out in the Administrative Service at the Ministry of Trade in 1977. In 1984, he joined NatSteel, where he remained until 1989. Following that, he joined investment banking group NM Rothschild & Sons (S) Ltd for four years before moving on to Far East.

He was managing director of its Orchard Parade Holdings Ltd from 1993 to 2000, and managing director and CEO of Yeo Hiap Seng from mid-1999 to 2002. In recent years, he handled many of the group’s investment ventures and oversaw its internal audit operations.

‘He has been instrumental in completing our Novena Medical Centre agreement with Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and has assisted several departments in resolving various problems encountered with external agencies,’ Far East said in a statement yesterday.

Mr Leong, who has four children, is Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Mexico. He became a member of the Securities Industry Council in January.

Source: Business Times 4 Mar 08

SHK results may not reflect HK property frenzy

Company holding back most project launches, analysts say

(HONG KONG) An upswing in Hong Kong home sales and prices is boosting big developers but will hardly register in earnings to be reported by Sun Hung Kai Properties this week, as the firm held back on project launches.

With rising wages and falling interest rates sparking one of the city’s legendary frenzies for property, analysts are mostly upbeat about the likes of top developer Sun Hung Kai and rival Cheung Kong (Holdings).

A correction has made stock valuations more attractive after a share price surge last year inspired by the US Federal Reserve’s aggressive rate cuts. Sun Hung Kai is trading at a 20 per cent discount to forecast end-2008 net asset value (NAV), compared to an average historical discount of about 10 per cent.

However, analyst forecasts for underlying earnings for the six months to Dec 2007 are spread widely and evenly between HK$4.7 billion (S$841 million) – which would be down 11 per cent on a year ago – and HK$6.1 billion.

‘They had no new launches except for Harbour Place,’ said Eva Lee, whose forecast for the interim half-year earnings was at the low end of the range. ‘So probably we can expect second-half sales to pick up.’

The 1,000 apartments put up for sale at the Harbour Place project, in the city’s Kowloon district, were quickly snapped up, but the profits will be booked in the second half of Sun Hung Kai’s financial year, which starts in July.

Sun Hung Kai’s earnings announcement, due on Thursday, will be the first time executives will have faced the media since the company’s chairman stepped down temporarily early this month.

Analysts have said Walter Kwok’s decision is unlikely to affect the company’s future performance.

Sun Hung Kai’s share price soared 76 per cent in the second half of calendar 2007, as Hong Kong’s currency peg led authorities to follow US interest rate cuts despite rising inflation and a local economy spurred by booming China.

But the stock has fallen 20 per cent this year and was trading at HK$133.60 at the close yesterday.

JPMorgan analyst Raymond Ngai, who expects an interim profit of HK$6.1 billion, has an overweight rating on the stock with a year-end price target of HK$159.

He expects full-year net profit to rise 35.7 per cent to HK$15.16 billion as apartment sales rise.

But Goldman Sachs analysts Anthony Wu is much more cautious, and has a neutral

recommendation, believing that apartment prices may have already peaked, having gained 10 per cent in the first two months of this year.

‘The rising risk of a prolonged global economic slowdown leads us to believe that the property market up-cycle has probably ended,’ Mr Wu wrote in a recent note.

‘Negative ripple effects will likely hurt Hong Kong’s wage growth, which is far more important than interest rates in driving property demand.’

Hong Kong apartment sales have picked up in the last few months as owning is almost as cheap as renting, and people expect tight supply to lift prices.

According to CLSA analysts, only about 14,000 new apartments will hit the market in each of the next three years, compared to an annual take-up of 20,000 when the economy was in a downturn between 1998 and 2003.

Affordability is back to 2005 levels because of interest rate cuts. So someone who rents a flat worth HK$5 million would pay on average HK$16,700, while a mortgage on 70 per cent of the value would typically mean a monthly repayment of HK$19,000.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

Hong Leong Bank eyes 10% home loans growth

It is confident of hitting target for cash-back product

(KUALA LUMPUR) Hong Leong Bank is aiming for 10 per cent growth this year in its housing loans segment, which currently has about 130,000 clients.

As part of its efforts, the bank yesterday introduced a cash-back home loan product which it said enables customers to save more on interest payment.

Chief operating officer for personal financial services, Moey Tan, said the bank was confident of achieving the target of RM1 billion (S$436 million) receivables for the new product by year-end as it was the only one in the local market to give cash rebates to home loan customers.

‘The 10 per cent cash-back will automatically be credited into the customer’s savings or current account annually from year six onwards,’ she said. Ms Tan said for a RM200,000 loan, the first payment is RM1,000 and each year the customer will receive a percentage of the cash-back amount until the end of loan tenure.

The cash-back home loan features include a repayment option and up to 90 per cent margin of financing, applicable for completed properties with a minimum loan amount of RM200,000.

Hong Leong Bank’s group managing director Yvonne Chia said housing loans today accounted for 58 per cent of total household debt and the commitment was long term, averaging from 20 to 30 years.

‘The cash-back concept was tested and validated through independent research. . .’ she said.

Source: Bernama (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

Sub-prime, debt still top US economic threat: poll

Inflation jitters a distant 3rd; terrorism fears down the list

(WASHINGTON) The combined punch of sub-prime mortgage defaults and heavy debt remains the biggest risk to the health of the US economy, a panel of business economists said yesterday.

‘NABE members are increasingly concerned over the short-term risks associated with sub-prime mortgages and other forms of indebtedness, while they continue to cast a wary eye on inflation,’ said Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, president of the National Association for Business Economists.

The conclusion was based on a survey of 259 members conducted between Feb 1 and 15 and updates a poll conducted in August.

Of the members polled for the NABE semi-annual Economic Policy Survey, 52 per cent said that the combined threat of sub-prime mortgage defaults and heavy debt was their No 1 concern, up from 32 per cent in August. Inflation was a distant third at 10 per cent in March, up from 6 per cent, the survey showed.

Only 9 per cent of the members polled said terrorism was now their top concern, compared with 20 per cent in August. ‘Fewer respondents support monetary and fiscal policies being implemented to address the credit situation, with more than one-third saying current monetary policy is too stimulative,’ said Ms Hughes-Cromwick.

Just 48 per cent judged monetary policy to be ‘about right’, a drop from 72 per cent in August and 81 per cent in March 2007.

Two-thirds of those surveyed expect short-term interest rates to decline over the next six months, with about half of those respondents expecting a cut between 25 basis points and 50 basis points, NABE said.

The Federal Reserve has aggressively cut the benchmark federal funds interest rate, bringing it down to 3 per cent from 5.25 per cent in mid-September to bolster the economy against the housing downturn and credit squeeze.

The most frequently cited concerns about lower interest rates are the threat of inflation and the sense that lower rates might ‘bail out investors who should have known better’, NABE said.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

UBS drops on writedowns warning

(LONDON) UBS AG, Europe’s biggest bank by assets, declined to the lowest level in almost five years in Swiss trading after Credit Suisse Group said the company faces further writedowns from ‘troubled’ assets.

‘Further writedowns appear likely and could be large,’ analyst Daniel Davies said yesterday in a research note. ‘Taking more pessimistic assumptions in order to estimate what losses could be incurred in actually selling this portfolio,’ writedowns from UBS’s ‘problem portfolio,’ including sub-prime investments, may total 15.5 billion francs (S$20.8 billion), Mr Davies said.

UBS lost as much as 5.1 per cent to 32.64 francs, the lowest price since May 2003.

The bank was down 4.2 per cent to 32.92 francs at 9:41am Swiss time, extending its 2008 decline to 37 per cent.

Last week, UBS chairman Marcel Ospel, facing calls for his resignation, won support at a shareholders meeting for the Zurich-based bank’s plan to replenish capital by selling convertible bonds to shareholders in Singapore and the Middle East.

Since the beginning of 2007, more than 45 of the world’s biggest banks and securities firms have taken about US$181 billion in asset writedowns and credit losses, including reserves set aside for bad loans.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

US housing crisis deters first-time buyers

US housing crisis deters first-time buyers

Greater security seen in renting as home prices fall and foreclosures surge

(BOSTON) For decades, buying a home was a key step on the path to financial security for the American middle class.

Home owners could count on a fixed mortgage payment rather than rising rent, take advantage of tax breaks, and build equity as their houses increased in value over time.

But with home prices falling and families losing their homes to foreclosure, some people who under other circumstances would be looking to buy their first home now see greater security in renting.

One such person is Lisa Chesnut, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, and works as an information systems coordinator. With a good job and two young sons, 29-year-old Chesnut and her husband, Bryan, look like classic first-time buyers.

They had considered it, until the market started to slide a year ago.

‘At first we thought, prices are falling, that’s good,’ she said in a phone interview. ‘Then we started reading about the foreclosures and the ARM (adjustable-rate mortgages) rates and people losing their homes,’ she said. ‘We thought, what if something happened where we could lose our house?’

Her big fear is falling behind on a mortgage. Having read about people who face higher payments on their adjustable-rate mortgages, she realises that being approved for a loan does not guarantee it will be affordable.

One sign that more people are choosing to remain in rental apartments while they wait out the slump comes from Equity Residential, one of the largest US apartment owners.

Fewer people have been moving out of its apartments – last year 63.3 per cent of its units changed hands, down from 64.9 per cent in 2006.

‘Turnover is slowing and the rate of moving out for home purchase we also saw slow throughout 2007,’ said Fred Tuomi, president of property management at the Chicago-based company, who oversees about 150,000 apartments nationwide.

And population projections by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) suggest hundreds of thousands of young Americans are sitting out the housing market entirely – neither buying nor renting.

‘There’s probably 700,000, maybe 800,000 people out there that are not getting into the market either as a renter or as a homebuyer,’ said Walter Molony, spokesman for the NAR. ‘Where are these folks? They’re out there, they’ve got jobs. Some of them are moving back with their parents, never left the house, they’re doubling up with roommates.’

There’s no scarcity of data to worry potential homebuyers.

Recent reports show that the average price of an existing single-family home in US metropolitan areas fell 6 per cent in the fourth quarter, while foreclosure rates in the top 100 metropolitan areas soared 78 per cent last year.

‘They’re the most nervous people I’ve ever met in my life,’ said Bob Moulton, president of Americana Mortgage Group, referring to the potential first-time buyers he speaks with.

‘They’ve seen what can go wrong in the mortgage market,’ said Mr Moulton, whose company brokers US$300 million of mortgages a year, mainly in suburban New York. ‘Everybody’s advising them, from the mother, to the father, to the uncle, their co-workers, telling them, ‘Don’t buy. Prices are coming down.’

Indeed, home ownership rates have fallen to 67.8 per cent of households at the end of last year from 69.2 per cent in 2004. That is below a 69.8 per cent rate in Britain, but still much higher than European countries such as France and Germany.

For young people who are unsure about whether to buy instead of renting, experts said the key thing to consider is how long one plans to live in a house.

During the boom years, from the late ’90s through the first half of this decade, rapidly rising house prices meant that in many parts of the country a buyer could turn an easy profit after owning a house for just a year or two.

Now young buyers should plan to stay in their homes longer than that, said Jim Gaines, a research economist at the Real Estate Center of Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas. Even his own son, who recently married, has come to him with fears about buying real estate.

‘I told my son this, ‘Look, if you buy a home today, you better be prepared to stay in it for a minimum of five years. Don’t worry if it goes up or goes down (in value) a little bit in the next six months,’ Mr Gaines said.

That knowledge is another factor keeping some young Americans in their rental apartments.

‘A lot of people I know are in that position, where their home isn’t going to sell for what they paid for it right now,’ said Josh Stenger, a 37-year-old professor of film studies who lives in a rental apartment in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Prof Stenger said he has toyed with buying a house or condominium, but has held off until he was sure he would be staying put for several years.

‘I don’t foresee buying anything without planning to stay in it at least five years,’ he said. ‘If the economy was different and it looked like prices were going to start going up again, I might feel more pressure.’

Source: Reuters (Business Times 4 Mar 08)

JTC will still provide affordable industrial space: Hng Kiang

THE JTC Corp is not deviating from its role to provide affordable factory space, said Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang yesterday in response to a question on whether JTC is shifting its focus with its recent plans to divest its industrial properties into a real estate investment trust (Reit).

This concern was triggered by the recent appointment of Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd (Mapletree) to establish and manage a proposed Reit which will acquire some $1.4-1.6 billion worth of JTC’s high-rise ready-built properties.

Member of Parliament Inderjit Singh raised the concern that this move will further raise the costs of industrial space here. He questioned the role of JTC, saying the earlier spinning off of Ascendas Reit has led to an increase in prices for industrial space. A-Reit, Singapore’s second Reit, was set up by JTC unit Ascendas five years ago and has since expanded by acquiring industrial buildings.

‘If we allow market forces to determine our industrial land prices, then businesses engaged in certain strategic sectors may no longer be able to compete with companies in competing economies which may not be at our stage of development and may offer companies more attractive land costs,’ Mr Singh said. He gave the example of China, where industrial land is more attractively priced.

In response, Mr Lim said: ‘JTC’s role remains the same. You must look at JTC’s role in two key areas – land and prepared industrial estates like flatted factories.’

For the flatted factories space, JTC is a small player in the market with a market share of around 20 per cent and hence takes its pricing cue from the market.

‘It is this sector that we are divesting because we believe that industrial space in Singapore is fairly competitive market,’ Mr Lim added. ‘So JTC need not stay in this area. JTC will concentrate on land.’

While the pricing of JTC’s industrial factory space is determined by the market, the pricing for land is benchmarked against competitive locations.

Mr Lim said the JTC is very careful ‘to make sure that we do not price ourselves out of the market.’

Source: Business Times 4 Mar 08

If the US goes into a recession…

How will a US slowdown or recession affect your organisation and industry, and the Singapore economy in general? What can businesses do in the event of a slowdown?

THE US recession had already started since December 2007. I predict that the federal funds rate will drop to one per cent by September 2008. After that, we will most likely witness a rebound and rally in the market.

If the recession is more prolonged, it would at most extend by another six months to March 2009.

Investors must remember that our present recessionary cycle is very different from the US recession between July 1981 and November 1982. In one way, it is similar to the 1981-82 one because the recession hit financial institutions such as banks and savings and loans particularly hard.

The significant difference lies in the fact that we now have the sovereign wealth funds stepping in to prevent these financial institutions from closing down. In addition, we have wealth distributed from oilrich countries in the Middle East.

Singapore is positioned to ride through the stormy weather in style! In these unique circumstances,

Singapore has invested in three of the world’s most exciting banks, namely UBS, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. We have also lined up world-class activities to ensure a continuous influx of tourist arrivals to boost domestic consumption:

• Q1 2008 – Singapore Flyer
• Q3 2008 – Singapore Grand Prix
• Q3 2009 – Las Vegas Sands Marina
• Q3 2010 – Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
• Q4 2010 – Resorts World Sentosa.

These activities will allow us to meet the challenges ahead. In the event of a slowdown, Singapore businesses should take advantage of this period to upgrade themselves through higher education, visiting other countries for opportunities and consolidating.

- Clemen Chiang

CEO

Freely Business School

Singapore can weather storm

SINGAPORE had been largely dependent on the US for its export market. However, in recent years, Singapore has successfully diversified its export markets to include China and India. In addition, its ongoing projects such as the integrated resorts, the hosting of the first Formula One night race and, most recently, the hosting of the 2010 Youth Olympics, would provide plenty of opportunities for the local market especially in the construction and services industries.

Hopefully, the ongoing IR projects and the tourism dollars being projected for the F1 race in

September would be sufficient to tide us over the US slowdown.

The only other economic factor that will pose a challenge is high inflation due to the double whammy of higher prices for both petroleum and food.

As an IT security company with headquarters in the US, with Singapore as its Asean and India headquarters, we will be able to sustain our growth by tapping the current ongoing projects in Singapore, as well as growing revenues in countries such as India and Vietnam.

While striving to increase our business revenues, we have to strive even harder to keep  overheads such as travel, entertainment cost, rental and even remuneration packages to a bare minimal.

Therefore, Singapore is likely to be spared the economic meltdown in spite of the slowing US economy, as we have been taking steps to minimise our dependency on the US market. This is one giant leap of faith by the Singapore government in the right direction. In the words of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: ‘We have dared to bring our dreams into reality.’

- Benjamin Low

Managing Director, South-east Asia and India

Secure Computing

I THINK a lot will depend on how protracted the US recession will be. If the US slowdown lasts for two quarters, as some economists believe, then I think the Singapore economy might not be significantly affected. Singapore is now less dependent on the US than before and is quite well plugged to the Asian twin growth engines of China and India. The Singapore economy has growth momentum on its side, with many projects like the IR, F1 and now the Youth Olympics, to stay resilient. However, if the US recession turns out to be severe, then not just Singapore but the global economy will be affected.

The steel industry, on the other hand, is going through interesting times. While 2007 was a good year for the industry, 2008 is beginning to look like an equally good if not better year. Demand for steel is going from strength to strength, not just domestically but globally.

In Singapore, demand for steel will see a further boost with more public projects in addition to the existing residential and office projects. Singapore is expected to construct a new University Town to host the Youth Olympics and there are planned expenditures to further expand our rail and road infrastructure in the coming years.

Globally, besides China and India which are consuming a lot of steel, the other two BRIC countries – Russia and Brazil – which used to be net exporters of steel are now instead buying steel. Russia – which benefited from the buoyant oil market – and Brazil – which benefited from the rise of both hard and soft commodities like iron ore and wheat – are undergoing an infrastructure boom.

With the rise of commodities, there is also strong demand for steel in the shipbuilding sectors to build vessels to carry the commodities.

- Wee Piew

CEO

HG Metal Manufacturing Ltd

A SLOWDOWN in the US economy will undoubtedly have an impact on the logistics sector and UPS, but we are confident that we will continue to grow by generating greater synergy between our businesses. Being an open economy, Singapore is naturally more susceptible to external shocks.

However, the Singapore government has been successful in attracting investments, which will provide some buffer from an external slowdown. This, complemented by growth in other regions, particularly the Asia Pacific, will provide impetus for the economy.

Asia was a key growth area for UPS in 2007, and looks set to continue this year. Growing intra-Asia trade and strong demand from China and India will continue to drive trade in the region. By aligning our supply chain and parcel delivery businesses, UPS will ensure greater synergy and more competitive offerings for our clients across Asia.

Despite the challenges and a moderated economic growth forecast, UPS is positive that the

Singapore economy is resilient and diversified enough to withstand the effect of a US slowdown.

- Mary Yeo

Managing Director

UPS

EXPERTS agree that the US economy is closer to the bottom than the top. Given this, we all must brace for ways of coping in the event of a full-blown US recession. As experience has shown us, a downtrend does not mean we are in for a crash. I would say that those of us in the direct selling industry can be resilient to an economic crunch for as long as we are able to grow and expand distributorship.

Still, it remains critical to re-think business decisions having to do with the proper marshaling of resources, especially for small and medium-sized businesses which will be the hardest hit. The basics, of course – stick to budget, monitor business closely, keep collection coming in, and tighten financial control.

Others would be wrongly cutting costs by way of reducing employee incentives. I believe, on the contrary, that we must encourage pay for performance incentives.

At Best World, our strategy is two-pronged: to continue to grow company sales and to optimise employee productivity. I believe that even in bad times, we must reward people as long as they are clearly able to contribute better performance to grow the company bottom line.

This year, we have restructured our company bonus system by basing it on company profit instead of gross sales. I see this as a win-win situation, a mutually beneficial manner of giving everyone a stake in the growth and viability of the business during these critical times.

- Dora Hoan

Group CEO

Best World International Ltd

VISIONARY business leaders are already using technology to enhance sales growth, drive incremental efficiencies and deliver excellent customer service. In challenging economic times, companies must keep their eyes on the horizon while smartly managing short-term turbulence.

For example, EMC is helping companies of various sizes invest in IT infrastructure solutions that squeeze more value from flat IT budgets. Reducing the physical space needed for IT infrastructure, as well as lowering the power and cooling costs to support the infrastructure, becomes even more important in tightening economic times.

In a slowdown, it is also important – although not easy – to remain focused on product and service innovation. As a company, EMC will spend more on R&D than ever before to ensure we bring new innovation to our customers globally.

Having seen Singapore’s economic indicators, and the recent Budget, I am confident that the country as a whole, and the local and multinational companies based here, are well positioned to deal with any changes to the world economy.

- Steve Leonard

Senior Vice-President, EMC Corporation; and President, EMC Asia Pacific/Japan

EMC Corporation

THE US is in recession and I suspect this one will be protracted and will impact the rest of the world. Emerio is an IT outsourcing company with an emphasis on support and consequently, we expect our business to grow faster as US companies will need to do even more with less!

As far as the Singapore economy is concerned, there would be a short-term impact but I am confident that with Singapore’s ability to re-invent itself, we will be able to counter it and emerge stronger. A focus on Asia – not just China and India but also the rest of Asia – should see us sailing through this period.

- Harish Nim

CEO

Emerio Corporation Pte Ltd

See downturn as opportunity

THERE is too much attention paid to whether ‘an economy’ is in recession. My view is that different sectors have remarkably different dynamics which argue against a generalised view. For example, it is fairly clear that financial services, construction and probably the durable goods sector in the US are ‘in recession’.

However, agriculture, aerospace and international tourism are booming. I have been surprised at the strength of the recent retail numbers. At any point, some sectors are likely to be in recession and others booming. Asia is no different.

A lot of attention has been paid to whether or not the Asian economies and the US economy are decoupled. I’ve seen little high-quality data associated with this debate; analysts seem to quote data showing the declining percentage of exports from Asia going to the US. This is a fairly shallow understanding of decoupling.

Second, the level of coupling will, of course, vary significantly by sector. For example, I have been surprised by the extent that Chinese and Singapore-based banks have taken write-offs on the US sub-prime products – which just goes to show that ‘coupling’ can occur in mysterious ways.

I believe a number of key sectors in the US will go through a fairly deep recession. The US is a more flexible and responsive economy than most OECD economies, and will therefore restructure and recover more quickly then other countries such as Japan, Germany and France. This is one of the great strengths of the country.

The nature of most Asian companies is that they would rather lose money then downsize, though this is a generalisation. If Asian companies find markets in the US are being crimped, they will aggressively pursue other markets. A Chinese toy manufacturer will not undertake layoffs because of a US slowdown. They will ask: Where else can I sell these toys?

As a result, whether Asia is currently decoupled from the US, at the end of this down-cycle Asia will be more decoupled from it than before. But it won’t happen automatically or smoothly; Korea and India are simply not going to accept Chinese toys as easily as the US. The optimistic case is that these frictions result in new resolve for the World Trade Organization and consistent global trading rules. Of course, there are pessimistic cases.

For companies, there is the classic advice: Cut costs and find new sources of revenues. I’m a consultant – of course I would say this! Just as important is to have a clear sense of history – who were the winners and losers in your sector in the last downturn? What did they do to gain share and maintain their financial performance?

The worst thing you can do is just hunker down and wait for the next upturn. Get your management together and figure out how to convert the downturn into an opportunity. If you don’t have some great ideas – hire a consultant!

- Charles M Ormiston

Director

Bain & Company

IT IS widely misunderstood that a slowdown or a recession will affect every company that is doing business with the US. This may not be the case as there are some recession-proof industries. I consider the aftermarket tyre industry to be such an industry. A slowdown in the auto industry affects the sales of new vehicles – but existing vehicles still need tyres to ply on. Within the tyre industry, the major brands may feel more heat than the budget brands. There is a tendency to shift from an expensive branded product to a non-branded economical product in such an environment.

I have seen a surge in business recently which strengthens my belief that the market is shifting its purchasing pattern. As such, I do not think that the companies operating in the ‘budget brand’ category in the after-market auto industry will be affected. In fact, this is the time to go after business which was not accessible in the past. Now is the time that customers are actually looking for value.

As a precaution, however, it is imperative that businesses start spreading their chips into other markets and protect their existing business by investing in business/credit insurance, which will cover them adequately in case of any default.

- GS Sareen

President and CEO

Omni United (S) Pte Ltd

MY ASSESSMENT is that a US slowdown will have a material impact on Singapore only if it is prolonged and severe. This is due to our sound economic fundamentals, diversification of our economy away from manufacturing and electronics, as well as our location in a high-growth region with a large middle-class market and educated workforce.

In times of market volatility, we foresee growth opportunities over the next few years given large foreign investment flows into the region, booming regional economies that contribute to rising mass affluence, as well as higher demand for wealth planning from fast-ageing societies.

As an Asian specialist, the DBS Group is well-placed to seize these opportunities because of our experience and sound understanding of the regional markets.

Businesses caught in the slowdown can look into ways to better manage their costs, explore other potential avenues for growth, possibly in new untapped markets, consider flexible work arrangements and raising staff productivity.

- Deborah Ho

CEO

DBS Asset Management

AS THE world’s third-largest IT services provider, Fujitsu Asia provides solutions for customers in the Asean markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam – but not the US. Therefore, as long as the IT demand in our target markets remains healthy, we needn’t fear that a US slowdown or recession will impact us negatively.

The Singapore economy in general should also continue to do well because we are not as dependent on the US economy as compared to, say, five years ago.

Most indicators suggest that the IT demand will remain very strong this year. For example, a recent Gartner survey of about 1,500 chief information officers (CIOs) worldwide revealed that IT expenditure is expected to surge by about 8.3 per cent in Asia this year – far outstripping the 3.3 per cent rise in the global average.

The report also identified that in 2008, the focus areas among Asian CIOs include IT infrastructure, application rollouts and other areas. The implication here is that, despite the possibility of a US slowdown or recession, Asian companies are still prepared to invest in technology to prepare themselves for future business growth.

This makes sense because it can take months or even years for an IT investment to progress from conceptualisation to rollout.

Hence, companies that delay making vital investments during a downturn could be unknowingly disadvantaging themselves when things are back on the upswing. After all, without added headroom – which IT investments can provide – for scaled-up operations, companies might be unable to capitalise on the business opportunities that an economic recovery presents.

I always believe that adversity and opportunity exist togther. A slowdown in the US may pose some challenges, but it indirectly provides an impetus for companies to prepare themselves for future growth, which is merely a matter of time. And leading IT companies like Fujitsu Asia can help companies with such preparation efforts.

- Noboru Oi

Group CEO

Fujitsu Asia Pte Ltd

WITH the US being the world’s largest economy, economists and analysts have said that any signs of slowdown could impact everyone, especially those economies or industries highly dependent on the US. Some have warned that the effects of a drop in consumer spending could impact the Asian electronics manufacturers.

That said, we see resilience in the global economies. Where there are challenges, we also see some opportunities. All the more, businesses need to focus on creating value for their customers to maintain their competitive edge and strengthen their position in the industry.

For Excelpoint, we believe that it is critical to focus on executing well to strategy, maintain a strong cash position to capture opportunities, and be prepared to make adjustments where necessary to mitigate any risks. We will continue to invest in emerging markets where our customers have ventured into, and collaborate with them and our global partners to capitalise on opportunities in those markets.

Important, too, is the continued emphasis on innovation. We want to be able to research and develop new applications and technologies with the aim to offer our customers a wider range of solutions. This will help us emerge as winners in the industry in the long run.

- Albert Phuay

Chairman and Group CEO

Excelpoint Technology Ltd

WHILE we believe that a potentially bearish US economy will have a global impact on  Organisations and markets, this is an opportunity for many companies to take a hard look at how their operations can be optimised for efficiencies and how new businesses can be gained by looking beyond traditional means of getting to their customers and the marketplace.

There is a growing trend where deploying innovative technologies such as virtualisation and open source are helping businesses achieve these goals by optimising how information technology is supporting their existing business. Increasingly, businesses are also looking at more cost-effective and efficient channels to get to the business partners, customers and the marketplace by making information technology supplement their existing route to market.

We are confident that this is one way that businesses can save money and grow their businesses and give them a better chance of weathering not just this slowdown but any slowdown.

- Ong Chee Beng

Managing Director, Singapore

Sun Microsystems

IT IS still premature at this point to predict the extent of the US slowdown and to project how it will affect the Asia Pacific, and Singapore. However, with globalisation and lessons learnt from the Asian crisis, countries like Singapore are now more hedged against fluctuations from the US economy with greater investments in fast-growing markets like China and India.

I believe when one door closes, another window opens. In times of cyclical downturns, it is the onus of business leaders to proactively seek new opportunities (perhaps investing in emerging markets in the Asean region) to diversify risks and chart future growth. Many companies like us would have laid the groundwork in recent years, coupled with a long-term strategy, enabling us to ride out cyclical downturns, resulting in business continuity and growth prospects for the future.

- Bryan Low

Vice-President and Managing Director

AMD South Asia

A US downturn will almost certainly have a negative impact on Singapore’s economy, and it is unlikely that the childcare industry will be spared. At Cherie Hearts, for instance, we expect that a number of parents could look to alternative childcare options, such as home-based care by grandparents.

The best course of action that businesses can take in the face of an economic slowdown is to invest in training and development, as well as R&D. This will be our best bet in preparing ourselves to ride the economic growth once the dark clouds blow by. Cherie Hearts, for one, will be stepping up efforts on staff training, as well as curriculum research and development.

- Sam Yap SG

Group Executive Chairman

Cherie Hearts Group Int’l Pte Ltd

S’pore will be insulated by Asia

A RECENT study by technology research house Gartner shows that despite the US slowdown, Asian firms still plan to increase their annual IT budgets by about 8.3 per cent in 2008.

I believe that companies’ priority this year will be on technologies that directly improve their business performance. CA will continue to create and refine software that can help firms simplify and unify their IT operations, and which deliver tangible business value.

With regard to Singapore, the projected growth in Asia’s emerging economies should insulate us somewhat from the US slowdown, although many firms will still come under pressure to control costs.

This means that organisations should work on better tapping into their current resources. Besides using technology to streamline their operations, they should look harder at integrating technology with their people and processes. Best practices and consultancy services to achieve this are readily available, and businesses should proactively check them out.

- Brenton Smith

Managing Director and Area Manager, Asia South

CA

THE slowdown in the US may dampen business confidence and hurt our export-led economy but we will more likely be impacted by rising inflation and rapidly increasing business costs.

Many businesses are linked to regional and global customers, thus removing our reliance on just one country for trade. We are moving into Middle Eastern economies. We already have strong business links with the Chinese and Indian markets and these should help cushion the impact of the US slowdown. However, what seems to be at the forefront of many companies’ concerns is the more pressing problem of rising wages and a shortage of talent.

- Dhirendra Shantilal

Senior Vice-President, Asia Pacific

Kelly Services

FROM a geographical perspective, companies need to anticipate an economic slowdown in the US and switch activities and priorities towards growth regions like Asia. In Asia, because of the integration of global markets, developing countries will also be impacted, but this will be overshadowed by the domestic drive that we are seeing in countries such as China, India, and Southeast Asia.

Regarding the IT industry, there is no doubt that it will be impacted too. According to a recent IDC report, global technology spending will experience slower growth next year because of the current uncertain economic climate. Therefore, IT vendors and service providers must also stay ahead of the game by being flexible and making sure they adapt to these changes.

Last year, Serena Software moved to a software-as-a-service model and this is paying dividends for us now. In this environment of economic uncertainty, it is natural for companies to hold back on their capital investments to mitigate their risks. Therefore, the ability to adopt on-demand services on a pay-as-you-go basis is a perfect sourcing strategy for businesses seeking greater cost controls and flexibility during tough times.

- KC Yee

Vice-President, Asia Pacific

Serena Software

WHEN the world’s largest economy goes into a recession, most industries will be affected one way or another. Businesses need to understand that and start taking steps to balance the risks of a slowdown in the US. Businesses should look beyond the US market to cushion the downturn, if any.

Asia presents itself as an excellent opportunity for business growth.

Businesses can start by diversifying their clientele to reduce the risk of relying on a particular industry.

Riverstone, for example, is maintaining its lead in Asia for high-tech cleanroom gloves by expanding our clientele beyond the major players of hard disk drives and semiconductors.

For now, the demand for the high-tech clean-room consumables continues to grow and Riverstone intends to ride this trend.

- Wong Teek Son

Executive Chairman and CEO

Riverstone Holdings Ltd

AT AT&T, we are focusing on the strong growth engines in Asia Pacific – like China and India, but also the emerging markets in South-east Asia – and plan to continue investing in our business here to mitigate effects of a possible slowdown of the US economy.

Macro-economic data, ranging from the UN to the World Bank, shows that growth in Asia Pacific should be expected to continue, though maybe at a slightly lower rate than in the previous extraordinary years. Asia-Pacific economies are considered to be quite well-prepared to manage the continued uncertainty in the external environment coming from the US and, for example, the oil markets.

With our region continuing to be the fastest-growing region globally, a focus on such overseas opportunities can help minimise a potential dip in the US economic growth. Therefore, I would expect a continuous commitment to this region from global MNCs like AT&T. Most likely, we will see the further creation of high level jobs, continuous investments and more and more products and services being developed and managed in and out of the Asia Pacific – for a growing number of customers in this region.

- Collis Loh

Country General Manager

AT&T Business, Singapore

A US slowdown or recession will have some, but not catastrophic impact on the Singapore economy, as a growing driver of Asia’s growth has been fuelled intra-region. Thus, while the US curtails its consumption demand, this will be counter-balanced by the continued rise of Asian consumption – whether in China, India, or even Vietnam.

Having said that, in the event of a slowdown, having the right people to work and manage your business is critical to weathering a tough economic environment. The companies who emerge winners will be those that are focused on measuring and improving productivity, including that of their workforce.

- Su-Yen Wong

Managing Director, Asean

Mercer (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Be ready for tough times

TECHNOLOGY spending is normally a lagging indicator of an up or down-market. Our order book and sales pipeline currently look very strong. If we are to see slowing tech spending it will most likely hit Asia three to four months from now. So far, US multinationals, even in the financial services sector, are keeping up their spending with projects still being executed. Only one major client that I have met recently has talked of deferring a project. Companies obviously need to have a Plan B ready for any slowdown in spending. It’s important to be ready with scenarios so that we can adjust our model as any changes unfold.

- Bill Padfield

CEO

Datacraft Asia

THE US will continue to be the leading global economy for many more years. However, the print, publishing and media-related industry as a whole, my organisation included, has also diversified, doing a substantial amount of business with Britain, the Middle East and the EU countries.

On a national basis, the US is one of our main trading partners. Consequently, a US slowdown or recession would, together with many other Asian countries, definitely affect us negatively. Gloomy markets, recovery and growth are all part of the economic system.

Singapore businesses can reduce this looming negative impact by aggressively diversifying investments and export makets – which we have already done to a considerable extent.

With prudence and foresight, our businessmen could further move into Russia, the Middle East, the Korean peninsula and other Asian countries, Latin America and Africa.

Singapore businesses – especially our cash-rich investors and exporters, be they in mindshare leadership, providing services or manufactured products – should reduce over-dependence on the US.

- R Theyvendran

Chairman / Managing Director

Stamford Media International Group

A US slowdown or recession will have a negative impact on the global economy. US consumption has been instrumental in helping to boost world economies for several years. The growth of China and India is not going to be able to make up for the shortfall in US consumption in the event of a major cutback in spending in the US.

In a similar vein, manufacturers in Singapore will be negatively affected by the US slowdown as their products are mostly exported overseas. CEOs need to understand that it is no longer business as usual. Fortunately for my company, we will be able to comfortably ride out the tough times as we are a multinational company that has recognised the need to change much earlier.

For those businesses which are financially weak, it is important to restructure quickly to face the new harsh realities. They have to review their cost structure to ensure that they remain cost-competitive.

Companies need to penetrate markets such as the Middle East, China and India, whose economies are still booming. However, for weak companies, it is better to be healthy before expanding overseas, or their limited resources will be further dissipated. They should get their act together in Singapore first, such as putting in place a strong and competent management team and getting a positive cash flow. There are opportunities in the recession too as many weaker competitors will be knocked out of the race.

- Teng Yeow Heng Michael

Managing Director

TR Formac Pte Ltd

A US recession will cause uncertainties and undulations across the globe, but economic giants like China and India can cushion some of that ripple effect. As expounded by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, increased domestic consumption and investments in infrastructure, which serve to sustain a robust financial core, can also help weather the economic storm.

Local businesses, particularly SMEs, must be ever-ready for unforeseen events and have contingency plans in place during a period of decline. These include cost-cutting measures like downsizing and reducing overheads as well as increasing savings and investing in short-term assets that can be liquidated in times of need.

- T Chandroo

Chairman and CEO

Modern Montessori International

Singapore may be hit

THERE is no doubt that any slowdown or recession in the US economy will have a direct impact on the Singapore economy. Although Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has stated that Singapore will not be too badly affected should the US catch a cold, prevention is better than cure.

As electronics is an important sector that exports to the US market, any contraction in the US will have immediate effect on this major industry which contributes a large percentage of the manufacturing exports. To mitigate any drastic drop in exports, IE Singapore should support our manufacturers in aggressively sourcing new emerging markets in the Middle East, South Asia and North-east Asia. A better option would be to shift the bases of production closer to the markets.

Pakistan has been identified as a pivotal centre for electronics serving the Middle East and South Asia, while North Korea is also a focal centre serving Greater China and East Asia.

It is timely for the Singapore Business Federation to organise missions to these key centres to explore, exploit and extract the opportunities for exports, investments and R&D, etc. I am confident that the electronics sector would be nimble enough to ride out any economic setback in the US. Let’s pull ahead.

- Derek Goh

Executive Chairman / Group CEO

Serial System Ltd

I BELIEVE the signs indicate that the US is in a recession or on the verge of one – with consumption going down, interest rates being reduced, and the implementation of a US$152 billion package to stimulate the economy.

In such a scenario, I would suggest that Singapore businesses take a conservative approach by containing costs, ensuring that forecasts are conservative and watch inventories. When there are opportunities to monetise assets, I would proceed, as cash is king in this situation.

Until India and China dominate the world economy, I believe that whatever happens in the US will have an adverse impact on Asia and Singapore, although this will be less than before. Singapore has taken enough precautions to fend off any cold the US might suffer, but again it depends on how badly the US will be affected, as the financial crisis continues to unfold.

- Lim Soon Hock

Managing Director

Plan-B Icag Pte Ltd

THE sub-prime mortgage crisis has now ballooned into a deepening credit crunch, leading to less liquidity for a host of financial assets and structures. Although the US Federal Reserve has reduced interest rates in recent months, there is still a crisis of confidence in the US which mirrors the experience in Asia during the 1997 financial turmoil.

Clearly, the US is already in recession. Its extent and duration will depend on how long it takes for confidence to be restored. And the signs are not good because it seems that investors, banks and markets are getting more – and not less – jittery with each passing week. The impact of the US recession on Asia may be limited if it lasts six to nine months. However, Asian economies – even Japan, China or India – are probably not strong enough to weather a prolonged economic depression in the US.

As a privately-owned bank, Rabobank is taking steps to strike a balance between supporting our long-term customers, and preparing for a possible slowdown in this part of the world. On the one hand, as a financial cooperative, we must do our best to ensure that the funding needs of our customers are met. On the other hand, as a bank with a Triple A credit rating, we must maintain prudent lending policies, exercise due diligence and read market warning signs early and accurately.

Every cloud has a silver lining, so a widespread recession could perhaps moderate the worldwide trend of rising inflation, which is caused by escalating prices of commodities, labour and land.

If Singapore enters a recession, hopefully workers will realise that wage increases cannot outpace productivity gains indefinitely without companies losing competitiveness – which may ultimately lead to employees losing their jobs.

- Goh Chong Theng

General Manager, Singapore

Rabobank International

ANY US slowdown will impact businesses here. Everyone’s hope is that it will not be a contagion with business confidence being dragged down. The flipside is that the costs of US goods and services will be lower with a weaker dollar for those who do business with the US. This sliver of opportunity should enable us to offer more attractive and competitive goods and services.

On the other hand, people are hoping that the boom in China, the Middle East and elsewhere will provide a counter-balance. Like many Singapore companies, we stand our business on many legs in different countries. We hope to re-adjust our balance even as one part of the business is down.

Indeed, it may ironically be the balance we need with the current inflation and a resource crunch.

But more worrying is the way events might turn out. The great uncertainty and turbulence might catch many businesses wrong-footed. We all need to be vigilant.

- Liu Chunlin

CEO

K&C Protective Technologies Pte Ltd

A RISING tide lifts all boats, but unfortunately, the inverse is true as well when it comes to a US recession. Asia is not decoupled from the US or any other world economy and this should come as no surprise. Access and dependency go in lock-step and capital markets are extremely efficient at providing access to virtually any market segment in any economy – the sub-prime market, for example.

Diversification is the key and where countries are not efficient at achieving balance our firms must be.

An organisation’s best hedge is a global revenue stream, a balanced product set, and access to a wide range of market sectors.

- Mark Bashrum

Regional Vice-President, Asia

ESI International

DESPITE the slowdown in the US, Singapore’s financial and construction services clearly remain the bright spots, fuelling a soft-decoupling story for Singapore from the US economy. Still, with rising inflation and a negative real interest rate environment, private banking, like other businesses, cannot completely ignore the US downturn.

Investors, regardless of their wealth bracket, behave differently in this climate. Private banking clients tend to lower their risk appetite, gravitating towards conservative products with lower yields and margins. However, my private bankers must also be able to give clients the confidence to look beyond the downturn, instead of focusing on the storm clouds. It’s essential that we take a fresh look at our clients’ changing situation or new environment. Then we make sure our products and services adapt to help clients navigate the storm and come out on top.

- Barend Janssens

Head

ABN Amro Private Banking, Asia

THE US is a major consumer of goods and services which are manufactured all over the world. In the case of electronic goods, consumer demand will fall. Singapore, as a manufacturing site for such products, will be affected. Both facility and equipment utilisation will consequently be impacted.

Following from this, there is likely to be a reduction in labour and overhead costs by businesses to keep costs low and ride through the storm.

There is no miracle solution to overcoming recession as it is part of the business cycle. During a recession, businesses have to be prudent and keep a tight control over costs. We also have to explore other markets such as China and India to sell our goods but this does not happen overnight.

The government can provide support in terms of incentives, rental reductions, property tax adjustments, energy rate cuts and other such measures which will help companies through the turbulent period.

- EH Lim

CEO

Avi-Tech Electronics

IN MY view, the US will definitely suffer a recession this year due to the sub-prime problems and this will cause a global economic meltdown. Stock markets worldwide will decline by not less than US$7 trillion. The US consumes 25 per cent of the world’s products so a recession there will affect the world’s economies. Even Singapore’s growth this year is likely to be less than 4 per cent because of it.

The travel and tour industry will also slow down. Luckily, Singapore is a debt-free country; its dollar may well be equal to the greenback at some point.

SA Tours will promote travel to the US, for enjoyment as well as to build relationships to do business there. Singapore is a marketing hub and Singaporeans can market products produced in the US throughout Asean. A recession in the US may well be an opportunity for Singaporean businessmen to do business with Americans.

- Ng Kong Yeam

Group Executive Chairman

Sino-America Tours Corporation Pte Ltd

Others

A US recession would have varying degrees of impact on multinational organisations in Singapore, as well as the local economy, given that Singapore is a major trading partner of the US. However, as for the IT industry, we don’t foresee a huge negative impact in our region as economies like Singapore are still experiencing buoyant growth and companies are investing in technology solutions to provide them competitive advantages.

In fact, we believe that a critical aspect to managing such potential risks for organisations is to have access to accurate and timely information and business intelligence tools that facilitate quick and effective decision-making.

- VR Srivatsan

Vice-President, South Asia

Business Objects

CREDIT crunch, downturn, or recession, the coming year is going to be a challenge for the global economy – and the IT industry will face the same pressures. While there’s no doubt that tighter belts will mean IT departments paying close attention to IT vendors and service providers performance, it will not be simply the case of the thumb-screws coming out.

In our case, even amid economic uncertainty last year, Interwoven’s fourth quarter and full-year performance was the highest we have ever recorded. During an economic slowdown, we can see an increase in online marketing budgets – more cost effective than traditional marketing methods. So while the spend from IT may reduce in a slowdown, we expect to have access to a larger portion of the marketing budget. The tougher times are, the more important it is for companies to measure and make the most value out of their budgets.

We anticipate that other IT vendors and service providers will also find a niche to prosper during these times of economic uncertainty. Companies are realising that business efficiency can be improved by innovating aspects of their business using IT.

- Sanjay Aurora

Vice-President of Asia Pacific

Interwoven

Source: Business Times 3 Mar 08

ECB expected to lower growth forecasts, not rates

It faces dilemma as a rate cut could aggravate euro zone’s high inflation

FRANKFURT – THE European Central Bank (ECB) will make a cut of sorts this week – but with euro zone inflation stubbornly high, the cut will be in its growth estimates, not interest rates, said economists.

‘The ECB council will cut on Thursday its forecasts for growth in the euro zone, but not its main interest rate,’ said WestLB economist Holger Sandte, making a prediction widely shared by other experts.

The United States Federal Reserve has cut rates in recent weeks in an effort to stave off a recession, and increasing signs of a slowdown in the euro zone are adding to pressure on the ECB to follow suit.

More pessimism was generated last Friday by a sharper- than-feared fall in the European Commission’s euro zone economic sentiment indicator to its lowest level in two years.

‘What is a worry is the sharp collapse in euro zone economic confidence over the last year. This is consistent with euro zone growth dropping well below 2 per cent this year, possibly to around 1.5 per cent,’ said Bear Stearns economist David Brown.

‘The ECB is now under huge moral pressure to cut rates, especially with the euro on a surge towards US$1.55,’ he added.

But another data release last Friday showed the dilemma that ECB head Jean-Claude Trichet faces – that of stubbornly high inflation, something which a cut in rates could exacerbate.

Euro zone inflation clocked in at 3.2 per cent in January, the highest level since the launch of the euro single currency in 1999. The number was worse than expected and was well above the ECB’s preferred level of inflation of close to but less than 2 per cent.

But slowing growth is expected to dilute inflationary pressures, which in turn should allow the ECB to cut rates later this year, economists believe.

‘Under these conditions, the ECB could start cutting interest rates in spring’ and gradually lower its main lending rate to 3 per cent by the end of the year from 4 per cent currently, said BNP Paribas economist Clemente De Lucia.

Source: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE (The Straits Times 3 Mar 08)

Bernanke doesn’t utter R-word but he means it

His replies confirm economy is in recession: analysts

(NEW YORK) US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke didn’t utter the word, but analysts reading between the lines of his testimony to the US Congress this week say that he came as close as a central bank chief can to acknowledging the chances of recession.

Since the start of the global credit squeeze in mid-2007, the Fed has been cautious about suggesting US economic and financial conditions could get worse, in part for fear that markets might overreact.

Yet speaking before Congress on Thursday, the Fed chairman held true to his vow for greater transparency, predicting that economic growth, which slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2007, would not return to normal levels until at least 2010.

‘While the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has yet to decide whether the US economy is in recession, Mr Bernanke’s replies have all but confirmed the economy is already in recession,’ said Ashraf Laidi, chief foreign exchange strategist at CMC Markets US in New York.

The NBER is considered the official arbiter of US recessions, but their calls tend to lag the actual start of a contractionary period by about three to six months.

Not only did Mr Bernanke offer a glum outlook for growth complicated by rising inflation, he also indicated that even his already depressed forecasts might be overly optimistic.

‘The risks to this outlook remain to the downside,’ Mr Bernanke said. ‘The risks include the possibilities that the housing market or labour market may deteriorate more than is currently anticipated and that credit conditions may tighten substantially further.’

It is not difficult to see how some observers might interpret strong words as these from a measured man like Mr Bernanke as a sign of real concern.

‘If you acknowledge a recession it’s your fault, so that’s one reason not to be the first to do it,’ said Alan Skrainka, chief market strategist at Edward Jones, in St Louis, Missouri.

The threat of a prolonged recession is not negligible. What started as a US housing market slump has since spread through the financial system like a wildfire, beginning with assets directly linked to sub-prime mortgages and then extending to bonds formerly deemed safe as mistrust in the banking sector soared to new heights.

Mr Bernanke also attempted to rein in inflation expectations by saying the central bank would remain vigilant on price pressures which have become more apparent after both producer and consumer inflation jumped in data released this month.

These developments not only complicated the Fed’s task of regulating the monetary lever, but could also paradoxically worsen the economic situation. Since any possible recession is expected to be driven by a retrenchment in consumer spending, further damage to purchasing power from rising costs could force a downward spiral.

The economy is not close to a 1970s-style mix of stagnant growth and high inflation, Mr Bernanke told the Senate banking committee, but he painted a generally dour outlook and cautioned that the downturn is likely to cause some small banks to go under.

‘I don’t anticipate stagflation,’ he said.

Some analysts have become increasingly worried about that possibility after recent high readings on inflation and weak readings on growth.

‘I don’t think we’re anywhere near the situation that prevailed in the 1970s,’ he said.

Source: Reuters, LAT-WP (Business Times 1 Mar 08)

More landed housing sites up for auction

THE Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has launched the second phase of Sembawang Greenvale after auctioning all parcels in Phase One last October.

In the first phase, 12 sub-divided landed housing plots near Sembawang Beach were auctioned for a total of $37.09 million, which works out to about $285 per square foot (psf) of land on average.

Phase Two comprises 11 land parcels for a total of 90 dwellings. Most of these will be terrace houses.

Knight Frank director (research and consultancy) Nicholas Mak says new terrace houses in the area are now selling for $1.7 million to $2 million.

The median unit price for landed housing in District 27, where Sembawang is located, increased 12 per cent quarter-onquarter in Q4 2007, he said. ‘Therefore, in terms of bidding price, we expect the average land price of Greenvale Phase Two will be higher than that of Phase One.’

Mr Mak expects that terrace plots will fetch about $320-380 psf of land, and semi-detached plots about $300-350 psf of land.

Cushman and Wakefield managing director Donald Han believes demand for landed property will stay sound this year. But he also reckons current sentiment – hurt by the US sub-prime crisis – could see potential bidders for Sembawang Greenvale Phase Two discount their offers in the light of rising risks.

As such, he thinks bids could be 5-10 per cent below those received for Phase One.

Mr Han still believes there will be interest in the parcels, especially those that can yield more units, as developers will be able to ‘average down’ construction costs and increase profit margins.

Separately, URA said yesterday it has launched an industrial land parcel at Ubi Avenue 4/Ubi Road 2 for sale by public tender, after a developer committed to bid at least $14 million in early February.

Colliers International managing director Dennis Yeo estimated earlier that bids for the site could come in at $70-80 psf per plot ratio, translating to a breakeven cost of about $230-250 psf.

Source: Business Times 1 Mar 08

DC rate hike lower than expected

Average industrial rates up 16.8%, muted increases for most other uses

THE government yesterday announced modest, lower-than-expected increases in development charge (DC) rates for most use groups, except industrial.

‘Limited transactions in the past six months, amidst cautionary sentiment set about the US sub-prime debacle, were probably an important factor for the moderate gains this round,’ said Jones Lang LaSalle regional director and head of investments Lui Seng Fatt.

Knight Frank director Nicholas Mak said: ‘The government may feel that there has been no significant appreciation in land prices in the last few months.

‘And DC rates for most use groups – such as commercial, non-landed residential and hotel/hospital – were already at a higher base because of substantial hikes in the last revision.

‘Industrial DC rates, on the other hand, had seen only a marginal rise the previous round and hence saw the sharpest increase this time.’

DC rates, which are payable for enhancing the use of some sites or putting bigger developments on them, are revised twice yearly, on March 1 and Sept 1, and are listed according to use groups and 118 locations across Singapore.

From today, the average DC rate for commercial use has gone up 1.5 per cent – after the 42 per cent increase in the last round on Sept 1, 2007. The average rate for non-landed residential use has been raised 2.6 per cent, again much smaller than the 58 per cent hike previously, while the average rate for landed residential use has been left unchanged.

For hotel and hospital use, the latest DC rates are up 3.3 per cent on average, compared with a 23 per cent hike previously.

Industrial DC rates have jumped 16.8 per cent on average, against a 2 per cent rise previously.

JLL’s Mr Lui said that the big hike in industrial DC rates is in tandem with growing demand for backoffice space as more firms relocate out of the CBD due to high rents.

For industrial DC rates, the biggest hike of 33.3 per cent was in the Jurong/Lim Chu Kang/Kranji location, which analysts attributed to JTC Corp’s sale of two industrial sites at Jalan Tepong and Pioneer Road/Tuas Avenue 11 at about double the land values implied by the previous September 2007 industrial DC rate for the area.

Similarly, the sale of an industrial plot at Commonwealth Drive/Lane at about four times the September 2007 DC rate-implied land value was probably behind a 32 per cent hike yesterday in the industrial DC rate for the area.

Industrial DC rates were raised by 22.2 per cent each in the Kallang  Way /MacPherson /Aljunied, and Braddell/ Potong Pasir/ Woodleigh areas, based on JLL’s analysis. The rate for West Coast Road/ Jurong East was upped 20.7 per cent.

Increases of 20 per cent were seen in locations such as Havelock Road, Telok Blangah, Tiong Bahru, Bukit Merah, Redhill, Alexandra and Henderson.

Commercial DC rates stayed put in Raffles Place, Marina Bay, Cecil Street and Robinson Road. Instead, the hikes were mostly outside the central business district, ‘reflecting the trend of office demand being pushed out of the CBD’, Savills Singapore director Ku Swee Yong said.

The biggest increases, of 25 and 23.3 per cent, were in the Toa Payoh/Potong Pasir and Paya Lebar/Eunos areas respectively.

The sale price of a 99-year commercial plot next to the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh in October and rising rents at SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar were likely reasons for the increases.

The Marine Parade and Tampines locations each saw a 19 per cent appreciation in commercial DC rates, apparently supported by the sale price of an office unit at Parkway Parade, and rental evidence at Tampines Mall and buildings in the Tampines Finance Park.

For non-landed residential DC rates, the biggest gain of 28.6 per cent was in Ang Mo Kio/Yio Chu Kang as well as an adjoining sector that covers Upper Thomson and Sembawang Hills. Far East Organization’s $601 psf per plot ratio top bid for a condo site next to Ang Mo Kio Hub in September last year – a record for 99-year suburban condo land – was the likely reason for the rate hikes.

The Telok Blangah and Tiong Bahru/Ayer Rajah locations each saw hikes of 22.2 per cent in non-landed residential DC rate.

CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho said that the increases were probably supported by the $639 psf ppr fetched for a 99-year condo site on Alexandra Road last year. Mr Li also pointed to the sale of a freehold site on Margate Road as the likely reason for a 21.4 per cent rate hike in the Mountbatten/Meyer/Broadrick area.

For hotel use, gains of around 9-10 per cent were seen in DC rates for the traditional hotel belts in the Orchard Road, Marina Centre and Singapore River locations, as well as places like Marina Bay, Bayfront and Fullerton Road.

‘The tourism boom is expected to continue as the Singapore government drives towards the 17 million visitors goal by 2015.

Orchard Road remains Singapore’s main shopping belt, while upcoming developments in the Marina area such as the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and the F1 race will further generate demand for hotels in the area,’ Mr Lui said.

The DC use group for hotels also includes hospitals and interestingly, the government did not raise the DC rate for the Irrawaddy Road location where a hospital site last month fetched a record price of $1,600 psf ppr from Parkway group.

A spokeswoman for the Chief Valuer said: ‘Parkway’s record bid was an isolated case. In general, there’s no compelling evidence that market values for hotel/hospital use in the area have moved up so much.’

Source: Business Times 1 Mar 08

DC rate hike lower than expected

Average industrial rates up 16.8%, muted increases for most other uses

THE government yesterday announced modest, lower-than-expected increases in development charge (DC) rates for most use groups, except industrial.

‘Limited transactions in the past six months, amidst cautionary sentiment set about the US sub-prime debacle, were probably an important factor for the moderate gains this round,’ said Jones Lang LaSalle regional director and head of investments Lui Seng Fatt.

Knight Frank director Nicholas Mak said: ‘The government may feel that there has been no significant appreciation in land prices in the last few months.

‘And DC rates for most use groups – such as commercial, non-landed residential and hotel/hospital – were already at a higher base because of substantial hikes in the last revision.

‘Industrial DC rates, on the other hand, had seen only a marginal rise the previous round and hence saw the sharpest increase this time.’

DC rates, which are payable for enhancing the use of some sites or putting bigger developments on them, are revised twice yearly, on March 1 and Sept 1, and are listed according to use groups and 118 locations across Singapore.

From today, the average DC rate for commercial use has gone up 1.5 per cent – after the 42 per cent increase in the last round on Sept 1, 2007. The average rate for non-landed residential use has been raised 2.6 per cent, again much smaller than the 58 per cent hike previously, while the average rate for landed residential use has been left unchanged.

For hotel and hospital use, the latest DC rates are up 3.3 per cent on average, compared with a 23 per cent hike previously.

Industrial DC rates have jumped 16.8 per cent on average, against a 2 per cent rise previously.

JLL’s Mr Lui said that the big hike in industrial DC rates is in tandem with growing demand for backoffice space as more firms relocate out of the CBD due to high rents.

For industrial DC rates, the biggest hike of 33.3 per cent was in the Jurong/Lim Chu Kang/Kranji location, which analysts attributed to JTC Corp’s sale of two industrial sites at Jalan Tepong and Pioneer Road/Tuas Avenue 11 at about double the land values implied by the previous September 2007 industrial DC rate for the area.

Similarly, the sale of an industrial plot at Commonwealth Drive/Lane at about four times the September 2007 DC rate-implied land value was probably behind a 32 per cent hike yesterday in the industrial DC rate for the area.

Industrial DC rates were raised by 22.2 per cent each in the Kallang  Way /MacPherson /Aljunied, and Braddell/ Potong Pasir/ Woodleigh areas, based on JLL’s analysis. The rate for West Coast Road/ Jurong East was upped 20.7 per cent.

Increases of 20 per cent were seen in locations such as Havelock Road, Telok Blangah, Tiong Bahru, Bukit Merah, Redhill, Alexandra and Henderson.

Commercial DC rates stayed put in Raffles Place, Marina Bay, Cecil Street and Robinson Road. Instead, the hikes were mostly outside the central business district, ‘reflecting the trend of office demand being pushed out of the CBD’, Savills Singapore director Ku Swee Yong said.

The biggest increases, of 25 and 23.3 per cent, were in the Toa Payoh/Potong Pasir and Paya Lebar/Eunos areas respectively.

The sale price of a 99-year commercial plot next to the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh in October and rising rents at SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar were likely reasons for the increases.

The Marine Parade and Tampines locations each saw a 19 per cent appreciation in commercial DC rates, apparently supported by the sale price of an office unit at Parkway Parade, and rental evidence at Tampines Mall and buildings in the Tampines Finance Park.

For non-landed residential DC rates, the biggest gain of 28.6 per cent was in Ang Mo Kio/Yio Chu Kang as well as an adjoining sector that covers Upper Thomson and Sembawang Hills. Far East Organization’s $601 psf per plot ratio top bid for a condo site next to Ang Mo Kio Hub in September last year – a record for 99-year suburban condo land – was the likely reason for the rate hikes.

The Telok Blangah and Tiong Bahru/Ayer Rajah locations each saw hikes of 22.2 per cent in non-landed residential DC rate.

CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho said that the increases were probably supported by the $639 psf ppr fetched for a 99-year condo site on Alexandra Road last year. Mr Li also pointed to the sale of a freehold site on Margate Road as the likely reason for a 21.4 per cent rate hike in the Mountbatten/Meyer/Broadrick area.

For hotel use, gains of around 9-10 per cent were seen in DC rates for the traditional hotel belts in the Orchard Road, Marina Centre and Singapore River locations, as well as places like Marina Bay, Bayfront and Fullerton Road.

‘The tourism boom is expected to continue as the Singapore government drives towards the 17 million visitors goal by 2015.

Orchard Road remains Singapore’s main shopping belt, while upcoming developments in the Marina area such as the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and the F1 race will further generate demand for hotels in the area,’ Mr Lui said.

The DC use group for hotels also includes hospitals and interestingly, the government did not raise the DC rate for the Irrawaddy Road location where a hospital site last month fetched a record price of $1,600 psf ppr from Parkway group.

A spokeswoman for the Chief Valuer said: ‘Parkway’s record bid was an isolated case. In general, there’s no compelling evidence that market values for hotel/hospital use in the area have moved up so much.’

Source: Business Times 1 Mar 08

Property development charges barely budge

Small revision of fees points to dwindling deals, slow price growth

IT’S official: the property market has gone deathly quiet.

The Government barely tweaked development charges in its semi-annual revision of fees yesterday, reflecting the property sector’s subdued state over the last six months.

Development charges, which can run in the millions of dollars, are what a developer has to pay to buy and redevelop an existing site.

Average islandwide charges for office, hospital, hotel and non-landed housing sites merely inched up, while landed residential sites saw no change in the fee at all.

This marks a big reversal from last year, when the frantic pace of land acquisition led to record hikes in development charges for many sectors.

In super-hot locations, the fees were even doubled.

This time, the only major change was in the industrial sector, where charges jumped 16.8 per cent – compared to 2 per cent in the last round.

This was due to a previous low base, as well as rising demand for back-office space, which led to recent land sales at benchmark prices in areas such as Commonwealth and Ubi, said experts.

Development charges are set by the chief valuer based on recent land and property values, and are adjusted every six months, so their growth rate can be used to indicate market activity.

Property watchers said yesterday’s small rises show what the market has known for some time: Property deals are dwindling and the pace of price growth has slowed.

‘The rates have been moderated as a result of the limited transactions over the last six months, attributed in part to the more cautionary sentiment,’ said Mr Lui Seng Fatt, the regional director and head of investments at Jones Lang LaSalle.

But fees rose for areas on the city fringe, showing that activity is spilling out from prime spots, said Savills Singapore’s Mr Ku Swee Yong.

Development charges rose for non-landed residential sites in Upper Thomson, Tiong Bahru, Balestier and Chancery, among others.

This was probably due to some collective sales late last year, said Mr Nicholas Mak of Knight Frank.

These include the sale of Toho Gardens in Yio Chu Kang and 15 terrace houses in Balestier.

Mr Mak said the fee rises in these areas could further affect the already cautious sentiment in the market.

The overall impact, however, is ‘not as major’ as that from the last round of hikes in charges, he added.

Still, developers looking for new land will probably start relying more on government sales – which do not involve development charges – than on collective sales, said Mr Li Hiaw Ho, the executive director of CB Richard Ellis Research.

In the office and shops sector, the recent sales of transitional office land helped boost development charges in Tampines and Scotts Road.

Thomson and Paya Lebar also saw bigger hikes than the rest.

Hotel sites had increases mainly in central areas, while the fees for industrial sites rose across the board.

Source: The Straits Times 1 Mar 08

Bernanke’s signal for rate cut stokes fears of inflation

Investors worry that stagflation could hit the US but Fed chief rejects the notion

WASHINGTON – UNITED States Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s readiness to cut interest rates to avert a recession is stoking concerns that prices will get out of hand.

‘Mr Bernanke has really overweighted the economic risks relative to inflation,’ said Mr John Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia, following the Fed chief’s second and final day of testimony to Congress on Thursday.

‘He may get some disagreement’ among colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee, Mr Silvia said.

Investors’ expectations for inflation over the next 10 years jumped to the highest since last June after Mr Bernanke said the US central bank will act in a ‘timely manner’ to combat ‘downside risks’ to growth – a signal to investors that the Fed will again cut interest rates.

The hope is that lower interest rates will encourage consumers and businesses to spend more, while the risk is that the weaker US dollar that will result from lower rates will cause prices of goods and services to be adjusted upwards. A falling US dollar has also seen investors put more of their money into commodities, driving up the prices of oil, metals and food.

Fears have grown that the US could come under the grip of stagflation, when stagnant growth is combined with rising inflation, for the first time in decades.

Mr Bernanke rejected the notion.

‘I don’t anticipate stagflation,’ he told lawmakers. ‘I don’t think we’re anywhere near the situation that prevailed in the 1970s.’

Mr Bernanke added that he expects inflation to calm down, in part because of sluggish economic growth and rising unemployment.

For now, he said, the biggest risk is the weakening economy.

Traders now see a 100 per cent chance that the Fed will lower its target rate for overnight loans between banks by at least a halfpoint, to 2.5 per cent at its next meeting on March 18.

Mr Bernanke acknowledged that with oil prices hitting all- time highs and food prices rising, the Fed was ‘in a difficult situation’.

‘While we can’t do much about oil prices or food prices in the short run, we do have to be careful to make sure that those prices do not either feed substantially into other types of prices,’ he said, adding that the Fed must ensure that the public stays ‘confident’ that it will control inflation.

Consumer prices last year surged 4.1 per cent, the most in 17 years, while wholesale prices were up 7.1 per cent, the biggest 12-month increase since 1981.

And consumers are expecting prices to keep on rising. Households’ estimate of price increases one year ahead reached 3.7 per cent last month, the highest since August 2006, according to a poll by the University of Michigan.

Source: BLOOMBERG NEWS, ASSOCIATED PRESS (The Straits Times 1 Mar 08)

CDL able to weather uncertainty for next 3 yrs

It posts full-year profit of $725m; bottom line would be $2.8b if fair value gains included

THE top brass at City Developments Ltd (CDL) yesterday said the property group has ‘the financial muscle to weather the current period of uncertainty even for the next three years’, after announcing a record full-year net profit of $725 million.

The group sold about $6.2 billion of residential projects in 2006 and 2007, which means it has locked in, to a very large extent, handsome profits which have yet to be booked.

These substantial and better-than-expected profits will continue to be recognised progressively based on construction progress.

‘Some will come in 2008, 2009, perhaps also into 2010,’ CDL managing director Kwek Leng Joo said at the group’s results briefing yesterday.

‘Even if the market recovery should take place a little bit later than expected, I think we’ll be OK,’ he added.

In short, the group can afford to delay launches of new residential projects if necessary to ride out the current weak sentiment.

As a major office landlord, CDL will also benefit from the office crunch as many of its key tenant leases are up for renewal between now and 2011 – a period when office supply is expected to be limited.

In the hospitality sector, CDL’s hotel arm Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has a string of hotels with a wide geographical spread – which should act as ‘an insurance against a downturn in any particular geographical area’, CDL executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng said.

The group also has many other attractive assets such as City Square Mall and St Regis Hotel in Singapore which it could potentially sell, boosting its bottom line.

As well, CDL has a healthy balance sheet, with relatively low net gearing of 48 per cent.

CDL posted a 106 per cent jump in group net profit for the year ended Dec 31, to a record $725 million. However, had it adopted the revaluation policy of its peers, its bottom line would have surged to $2.84 billion after factoring in about $2.1 billion of fair value gains on investment properties.

The $2.84 billion net earnings for the year ended Dec 31 would pip the $2.76 billion net profit posted by fellow property giant CapitaLand for the same period.

CDL’s fourth-quarter net profit rose about 71 per cent year-on-year to $235 million, with revenue inching up 3.7 per cent to $765.7 million.

The group has also yet to recognise any profits for One Shenton, The Solitaire, Cliveden at Grange and Wilkie Studio, as these residential projects are still in the initial stage of construction. These projects alone account for $1.7 billion in sales value.

Even if the group defers or paces its launches, it will proceed with the construction of its projects where construction cost had been favourably secured earlier, CDL said.

It may also consider building selected projects when the construction cost stabilises at a reasonable level. It expects that when sentiment improves and the market begins to recover, there will be pent-up demand which the group will be in a position to meet.

The group is planning to launch in the first half of this year some 427 private homes in four Singapore projects – Shelford Suites, a condo on the former Lock Cho Apartments site at Thomson Road, The Quayside Isle @ Sentosa Cove and a condo at Pasir Ris.

In its results statement, CDL also said that it has an investment commitment in the private fund Real Estate Capital Asia Partners, which acquired Jungceylon complex at Phuket’s Patong Beach. This is a 1.5 million sq ft mall which opened for business recently and is next to the Millennium Resort Patong Phuket.

CDL also reckons it has ‘ample time’ to review its strategy for its office portfolio, given improving office rental yields.

Its options include retaining its office properties at a low cost base, monetising the portfolio and/or extracting maximum value by selling its assets wholesale or individually. Another option would be to spin off an office real estate investment trust.

The group has all along been following its conservative policy of stating investment properties at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. On adoption of Financial Reporting Standard FRS 40, the group continues to state these assets at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses.

Most other Singapore- listed property groups state investment properties at fair value, as permitted by FRS 40.

CDL’s full-year revenue for the year ended Dec 31, 2007, rose 22 per cent to $3.1 billion, also a record for the group.

The group also gave a segmental breakdown of profit before tax, including share of after-tax profit of associates and jointly controlled entities, which showed that pre-tax from property development more than doubled from $225.8 million in 2006 to $506.3 million in 2007.

Pre-tax profit from hotel operations fell from $396.6 million in 2006 to $285.4 million in 2007, mainly because the 2006 figure had included a $150.9 million one-off gain from the sale of long leasehold interests in four Singapore hotels to CDL Hospitality Trusts.

Profit before tax from rental properties more than quadrupled from $30 million in 2006 to $133.6 million in 2007.

CDL is proposing a final dividend of 7.5 cents per share as well as a special final dividend of 12.5 cents per share. Both payouts are tax exempt.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

CDL boss punctures popular wisdom

Mid-market may not shine and high-end is unlikely to collapse, he says

(SINGAPORE) City Developments Ltd (CDL) executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng yesterday turned a popular market view of the Singapore residential sector on its head.

Many have whispered that the high-end residential segment is in danger of being hardest hit by the sub-prime crisis while the mid-tier and mass-market segments will be better shielded. Not true, says Mr Kwek.

‘The high-end is not going to collapse like what some (in the market) are saying. The mid-end is not going to be fantastic, like what is commonly believed, because of the subprime situation and Singaporeans’ wait-and-see attitude.

‘The mass market will do well, but selectively. It’s not going to be what you’ve seen before…people queuing up,’ Mr Kwek said.

The Housing & Development Board also provides a credible alternative to mass-market private housing, Mr Kwek said at a media and analysts’ briefing to announce CDL’s results for the year ended Dec 31, 2007. The group’s full-year net profit doubled to $725 million – a record.

Mr Kwek also acknowledged that the current market environment was not conducive to setting up real estate investment trusts (Reits). He would look into opportunities to buy into existing Reits, but only if they were being offered for sale together with their respective Reit management companies, which earn handsome fees.

On the high-end residential sector, Mr Kwek noted that it is supported not only by wealthy local investors with holding power, but also by well-heeled foreigners. ‘Super-rich investors from Russia, Middle East and even hedge-fund managers have yet to come into Singapore in a big way.

‘With Singapore developing into a global city and placed into the limelight, it can be a very attractive place to invest for these well-heeled clienteles, as seen in London,’ CDL said in its results statement.

The next big wave for the Singapore property market will come when the two integrated resorts are operating successfully. ‘It will be a different Singapore altogether. Singapore is a hub. I’ve been harping on this. Nobody believed me until last year,’ said Mr Kwek.

He also sought to debunk another popular view, that the deferred payment scheme which was removed by the authorities in October last year, had only served to fuel property speculation. ‘Deferred payment is not only an instrument for speculation. It is an instrument to enable buyers of new (residential) units to dispose of their existing units at a gradual pace, instead of being forced to sell their existing homes,’ he said.

Noting that sentiment in the local property market has become subdued because of the sub-prime issue, Mr Kwek said: ‘Sentiment is more important than supply and demand. The higher the prices, the more people buy.’

He also recommended buying real estate as a hedge against inflation, especially given the current low housing loan rate environment, adding in the same breath that he was not trying to talk up the market – drawing laughter from the audience.

But Mr Kwek also had some advice on affordability. ‘You must be able to pay your instalment, that is most important. If you can’t pay the instalment, and you hope (the property value) will go up tomorrow, then you are speculating.’

Referring to the squabbles among owners in estates with en bloc sales, Mr Kwek said: ‘People are fighting, because they are jealous somebody sold higher. Who can say this is the peak? You should be happy if you have a good gain, don’t fight. That’s my advice.’

He estimates that about 50 per cent of those who’ve sold their homes through en bloc sales have not yet bought replacement homes, even if they may want to downgrade.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

HDB will cater to buyers with different income levels: Mah

THE Housing & Development Board (HDB) will continue to provide a range of housing options to cater to buyers of differing income levels and aspirations, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan told Parliament yesterday.

He was responding to concerns that the price gain in the HDB market is putting flats out of the reach of many. HDB resale prices rose by about 17 per cent last year. In addition, reports said that buyers forked out up to $727,000 for a five-room flat in a private-developer built, condo-style project offered under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS).

The price gain for resale homes should slow this year. Mr Mah said: ‘The HDB resale price index grew by only one per cent in January, and I expect prices to grow at a more moderate pace in 2008.’

The HDB plans to release three more DBSS sites to build up a ‘reasonable stock’ of DBSS flats, Mr Mah said. Together with the four sites already released, the new sites will yield about 4,000 flats.

He said HDB will continue to cater to buyers with different aspirations and means by providing a range of housing options.

However, Mr Mah said that flats built by HDB will continue to be the mainstay of new supply.

‘Similar to executive condominiums, DBSS flats serve a small niche market of buyers that can afford to pay higher prices for public housing with different designs and features,’ he said.

Mr Mah also unveiled details of HDB’s new Lease Buyback Scheme, which aims to help low-income and elderly households.

Under the scheme, which will be implemented next year, the HDB will purchase the tail-end of the flat lease from an elderly household. The occupants will continue to stay in the flat, which will be left with a 30-year lease. On top of the housing equity unlocked, it will provide an additional $10,000 subsidy.

Of the total amount, $5,000 will be given to the household as an upfront lump sum, while the remainder will be used to purchase a CPF Life Plan to provide the owner with a monthly stream of income for life. If the flat is jointly owned by an elderly couple, they will get individual CPF Life Plans.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

Marina Bay to provide 1.1m sq m of office space

It will become a seamless extension of Raffles Place, says Mah

THE upcoming financial district at Marina Bay will be twice the size of London’s Canary Wharf and will provide as much Grade A office space as Hong Kong’s Central.

Revealing more plans for Singapore’s new financial hub, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan told Parliament yesterday that Marina Bay remains the centrepiece of the government’s efforts to provide more office space.

‘URA (the Urban Redevelopment Authority) will make available more sites for development in this area over the next five to six years, in line with market demand,’ he said. ‘When completed, these new developments will provide more than 1.1 million sqm of office space, to match the total amount of office space at Raffles Place today.’

The area will become a seamless extension of Raffles Place, Mr Mah said. It is expected to take more than 15 years to materialise, depending on market demand.

The existing central business district will not be neglected, he said. URA will release land around the Tanjong Pagar precinct as well as redevelop the Ophir/Rochor corridor into an office cluster.

Mr Mah also touched on plans for Orchard Road, saying that URA plans to work with the private sector to build a pedestrian network with underground links, walkways at street level and second-storey links between buildings.

The Ministry of National Development will set out its land use plans for the next 10-15 years in the next few months in its Master Plan 2008. The plans have been developed with three key objectives in mind – to ensure that Singapore has sufficient land to support economic growth; to reduce commuting by bringing jobs closer to home; and to provide greater greenery and leisure options.

Addressing a now-hot topic, Mr Mah said that sustainable development will continue to be a priority.

To encourage environmentally friendly practices, the government will look at a range of measures including public education, research and development, and possibly legislation, he said.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

Newton area growing as a hub for hybrid offices

NEWTON is shaping up as a centre for hybrid offices, with another company, The Ascott Group, moving to the neighbourhood.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also said yesterday that it would release not one, but two, transitional office sites between Scotts Road and Anthony Road for sale.

Ascott, which is officed at the former Temasek Tower, could not say how much space has been decanted in the move but did say that its new offices in Newton will accommodate some 50 to 80 employees, including trainers, trainees and staff who will support the training activities at its Ascott Centre for Excellence there.

A spokesman for Ascott said that it leased the former Anthony Road Girls’ School in mid-2007 on a 3+3+3 year lease from the Singapore Land Authority, and started moving in from the end of last year after refurbishing it.

URA offered its first transitional office site in Newton in August 2007 too. This was sold to Hwa Hong Corporation and KOP Capital for $37 million – $219 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

While the two new sites now being offered are equally well located, Knight Frank director (research and consultancy) Nicholas Mak believes bidding ‘will be more cautious this time’.

Both parcels are to be sold on short-term leases of 15 years, and Knight Frank estimates the first of the new sites, Parcel A,

which can yield a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of 140,189 sq ft, could see bids of between $14 million and $18.2 million, or a unit land price of $100-$130 psf ppr.

Parcel B, which can yield a maximum GFA of 145,915.4 sq ft, could see bids of between $14.6 million and $19 million, representing the same unit price range of $100-$130 psf ppr.

Mr Mak noted that current monthly gross rents for the Scotts Road area are comparatively low at between $6 and $8 psf.

He also highlighted that the proposed transitional office developments are expected to be completed by the middle of next year – and about 2.6 million sq ft of new office space is expected to be supplied to the market in 2009.

Savills Singapore director of commercial services June Chua believes that there could still be an attractive profit margin for any developer, but adds that the developer, or possibly even contractor, would have to secure a tenant first, so that there is a minimal ‘void period’, during which the landlord has to secure a tenant.

She also said that the target rental would have to be around $7 psf per month.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

Property players sweat over lending squeeze

Banks batten down hatches amid global turmoil and as big deals suck liquidity

(SINGAPORE) The squeeze is on. Banks have tightened financing for property investment deals, which include big transactions like sales of office blocks and development sites. This, in turn, may keep some buyers from participating in the market, industry players have told BT.

It’s also taking longer to wrap up property sales deals these days as securing funding becomes more of an issue – and this could be a drag on investment sales.

Bankers cite two main causes for the tightening. The turmoil in the global financial market has led to increased awareness of risks all round, and several mega transactions in the past 12 months here have left less liquidity available for others.

Says Tan Teck Long, DBS Bank managing director, corporate and investment banking: ‘There are a couple of large deals such as the integrated resorts (IRs) which have soaked up a fair bit of liquidity.’

Yesterday, Las Vegas Sands Corp announced the completion of its $5.25 billion loan syndication for the Marina Bay Sands IR, the largest deal of its kind here.

Brad Nelson, global head of commercial real estate, Standard Chartered Bank, agrees that the big deals had been sucking liquidity out of the market. ‘Banks only have a certain amount of capital base,’ he points out.

Banks’ exposure to property-related loans is capped by law at 35 per cent of their total loans, to keep risks from the industry in check. This does not include mortgages for owner-occupied properties.

Meanwhile, banks have become more cautious and are giving smaller loans relative to a property’s valuation than, say, 12 months ago. This serves to provide them with a greater buffer in the event of a fall in property values given the weaker sentiment in the Singapore property market today.

Jones Lang LaSalle regional director and head of investments Lui Seng Fatt says that about a year ago, banks may have given loans of up to 75 per cent of valuation for income-producing assets like office blocks. Today, the figure may be closer to 60-65 per cent.

Things are even harder for relatively unseasoned, smaller players buying residential development sites. They face greater scrutiny these days before banks give them loans, BT understands.

‘Financing for real estate projects has definitely tightened, especially since last quarter. This is essentially because of tighter liquidity brought about by limited appetite in the capital markets, due to current market developments,’ says Paul Kwee,

Citigroup Singapore corporate bank director and head of real estate.

Lending amounts are more conservative now and covenants tighter, he says.

And despite the decline in Singapore dollar interest rates, the margins that are added to the floating interest rate reference are wider today, observes Mr Kwee. Margins are wider by 50-100 basis points now compared to last year, say bankers. Property sources say that while big established developers can still secure financing for purchases of development sites with relative ease, things are less rosy for smaller players.

Maybank head of business banking Lee Hong Khim acknowledges that his bank hesitates to finance new players whose core business is not in property development.

Mr Lee adds that Maybank is ‘more selective in the projects we finance; the location of the project is an important consideration as well’.

Giving his take, Citi’s Mr Kwee says: ‘Smaller players may find it harder because they have fewer financing options available to them as compared to the big boys who may also be able to tap the convertible bond or Sing-dollar bond market, for instance.’

But Mr Nelson of Stanchart says that ‘when liquidity is tight, lenders will normally take the position of supporting their existing relationships . . . regardless of whether they are SME (small and medium enterprise) or wholesale customers’.

Another outcome of banks becoming more cautious in evaluating loan applications is that it’s taking longer to complete property investment sales deals, says JLL’s Mr Lui.

The investment head of another major property consultancy group feels that the tighter financing environment could change the profile of institutional property buyers. ‘We may see greater participation from core funds, which assume lower risk, lower returns, and lower debt, and less participation from opportunity funds, which assume higher risks, higher returns and higher debt.’

Market watchers point to an extreme recent example, when UK-based New Star International Property Fund made a pure-cash (zero debt) acquisition of One Phillip Street, an office block in the Raffles Place area, for $99.02 million.

Funds that need to assume higher leverage to achieve their investment returns may find it difficult to buy property assets in Singapore – and their numbers may dwindle.

Source: Business Times 29 Feb 08

Greenback sinks further, nears new low against euro

LOS ANGELES – IN THE Federal Reserve’s battle to keep the United States economy from a severe downturn, the beleaguered US dollar is getting walloped anew.

That is going to worsen the sticker shock for Americans headed overseas or buying some of their favourite imported goods.

But it also will underpin the current boom in US exports, which has helped offset some of the economic pain of the housing bust – at the expense of Asian and European exporters.

The dollar hovered near a record low against the euro at US$1.511 in Tokyo trading yesterday, just off a record of US$1.5144 struck on Wednesday.

Six years ago, one euro could fetch less than 87 US cents.

The dollar also fell to its lowest level in years against the Singapore dollar, Australian dollar, Swiss franc, Brazilian real, Russian rouble and a number of other currencies.

The latest plunge in the greenback’s value followed Fed chairman Ben Bernanke’s testimony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, where he described the economy as ‘distinctly less favourable’.

He also made it clear that the US central bank was more worried about risks to growth than inflation.

He all but assured Congress that the central bank would continue to cut short- term interest rates.

To currency traders worldwide, that was a signal to dump the dollar again, deepening what has been a losing trend for the greenback since 2001.

Generally, the weaker a country’s economy is and the lower its interest rates, the weaker its currency gets as some global investors opt to take their money elsewhere – in the process selling one currency to buy another.

Wall Street is now convinced that the Fed will slash its benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 per cent from 3 per cent – a bigger cut than previously expected – when the central bank’s policymakers meet on March 18.

By contrast, the European Central Bank has held its key rate at 4 per cent since last June and shows no sign of wanting to join the Fed in easing credit. Higher European rates support the euro’s value at the dollar’s expense.

Source: LOS ANGELES TIMES (The Straits Times 29 Feb 08)

CDL boss prepared to delay launches in subdued market

Some projects can be held off till 2009, he says, as full-year gain swells to $725m

THE property market may have stalled for now, but City Developments (CDL) executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng is not too worried.

He said that if necessary, he can hold off launches of new developments until next year.

‘Rather than launch today when the market is subdued, I would rather start construction on some projects first’ and launch them when demand picks up, Mr Kwek said yesterday.

‘If today there are not many buyers, this means that pent-up demand is building up, which can be very powerful.’

CDL plans to launch more than 400 units in four projects by June, assuming market conditions do not worsen.

It will release the 77 units at Shelford Suites in Bukit Timah, which is said to have been ready for launch for some time.

The group also intends to launch 100 units of the 228-unit Quayside Isle @ Sentosa Cove, and another 100 at a new development on the former Lock Cho Apartments in Thomson Road, which will have 336 units.

The fourth project is a joint venture at Pasir Ris Drive 1. About 150 of its 724 units are targeted for release by June.

Even if the launches end up delayed, CDL may first start construction on Shelford Suites and the Thomson Road project, said Mr Kwek.

This could also bring in more upfront cash for the group when it does sell the homes. Buyers have to pay 30 per cent in cash after foundation work is done, compared with only 20 per cent if no construction has started.

Mr Kwek’s comments yesterday came on the back of a sterling year for CDL last year.

The developer, Singapore’s second-largest, said full-year net profit more than doubled to a record $725 million. Revenue rose 22 per cent to $3.11 billion.

Earnings per share more than doubled to 78.3 cents for the year. Net asset value per share rose to $5.72 as at Dec 31, from $5.21 a year ago.

Last year, CDL booked profits from projects such as St Regis Residences, Tribeca and The Sail @ Marina Bay.

But it has yet to recognise any profits from One Shenton, The Solitaire, Cliveden at Grange and Wilkie Studio – which account for about $1.7 billion of sales. In all, the group sold 1,655 homes last year for a record $3.4 billion.

CDL’s hotel and office properties are also enjoying high occupancy rates in the buoyant market. Its offices are almost 96 per cent occupied, compared with a market average of 92 per cent.

The group has also not adopted the same approach to revaluing its properties as some of its competitors, which have reported huge revaluation gains. With these gains, its profit would have surged to $2.8 billion, it said.

The group is recommending a final cash dividend, tax-exempt, of 20 cents a share in total.

Source: The Straits Times 29 Feb 08

HDB unveils ‘income for life’ scheme for the elderly

It will buy back tail-end of flat lease at market rate, with money going to CPF Life

FOR 68-year-old retiree Teng Kiat Hwa, who owns a three-room HDB flat in Toa Payoh, his home is his only asset.

Since he fell ill and stopped driving a taxi, he has had no income and his CPF money has been dried up by medical bills.

But come next year, Mr Teng will be able to sell part of his flat’s remaining lease to HDB, and receive a cash payment of $5,000 and an annuity payout of about $500 monthly from CPF Life.

Details of the long-awaited ‘Lease Buyback Scheme’, which helps the elderly sell their HDB flats to the Government for cash – while still being able to stay in them – were unveiled yesterday by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

This is how it works: HDB will buy back the tail-end of a flat lease at market valuation, leaving a 30-year lease for the household. So, for example, if a flat has a remaining lease of 70 years, HDB buys 40 years of the lease from the flat owner. It pays market rate for the lease it buys and this money goes to the new CPF Life annuity in the flat owner’s name.

According to Mr Mah, the cash is enough to give a typical flat owner about $500 monthly for life. At the end of 30 years, the flat’s ownership is then transferred to HDB.

If the flat owner dies before the 30 years is up, his family gets a pro-rated refund from the HDB. If he outlives the 30-year lease, HDB may extend the lease or relocate the flat owner to rental housing.

To encourage people to opt for the scheme, HDB is also providing a $10,000 ‘bonus’ for anyone eligible for the scheme who signs up.

Half of this – $5,000 – will be paid immediately in cash. The other $5,000 goes into the CPF Life annuity.

One catch: the scheme will be available only to 25,000 low-income households in Singapore. That’s because the eligibility criteria restricts the scheme to those aged 62 and above and who own two- or three-room HDB flats.

Among other things, they must also have fully paid up for their flats, or else have a loan amount outstanding of less than $5,000.

Mr Mah said in Parliament yesterday that this is consistent with the objectives of the scheme, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at last year’s National Day Rally.

He said the scheme is meant to supplement the recently announced CPF Life annuity by providing a stream of retirement income for poor households who may not have the minimum sum needed to sign up for CPF Life, but still need steady income in old age.

He added that the 25,000 households that qualify for the scheme represent about 70 per cent of elderly households in two- and threeroom flats.

Asked for his reaction, Mr Teng said in Mandarin that it was ‘an interesting option’.

‘But we must consider it thoroughly before taking it up. My wife and I wanted to leave this flat to our kids,’ he added.

Meanwhile, industry players yesterday welcomed the scheme, but expressed concern that the criteria were too strict.

This was also brought up in Parliament by Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC), who asked if owners of larger HDB flat can qualify for the scheme.

Mr Mah replied that this can be examined after the scheme was implemented and feedback given.

Mr Eugene Lim, the assistant vice-president of ERA Realty Network said renting out the flat may give better yield or payouts than the annuity.

Source: The Straits Times 29 Feb 08

URA launches 2 more temp office sites in Newton

Analysts see good demand just like for a nearby plot launched earlier

TWO more transitional office sites have been launched by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a move to help ease some of the pressure on space.

The adjacent sites – parcel A is 8,682.8 sq m in size and parcel B is 9,037.9 sq m – are near the Newton MRT station, between Scotts Road and Anthony Road.

The sites can accommodate developments of up to four storeys that can be built within a year.

Transitional office sites, a relatively new concept, were introduced as a quick fix to the lack of space in the Central Business District (CBD).

They have 15-year leases, significantly less than the usual 99-year leases for commercial buildings.

The response has been mixed. A plot launched by the URA in Aljunied recently flopped, with all bids rejected as being too low.

The URA believes the Newton sites will fare better.

‘Based on market feedback, there is still demand for transitional office sites in the city centre,’ it said.

Property experts also expect a more enthusiastic response.

Mr Nicholas Mak, Knight Frank’s head of research and consultancy, said the prime location near the CBD and Newton MRT would draw bidders.

And the sites being adjacent means a developer could combine the land.

‘There is a potential for amalgamation to create bigger floor space,’ added Mr Mak, who estimated that the sites could sell for around $100 to $130 per sq ft (psf).

This values the parcels from $14 million to $19 million each.

Mr Mak felt the Aljunied site was ‘too close to the red-light district of Geylang’.

For the two latest plots, the industry experts interviewed expect a level of response similar to the Scotts Spazio site, which is across the road and was eagerly received by developers.

KOP Capital is developing the site, which cost $37 million, with partners Hwa Hong Group and Dubai Investment Group.

Insurer Prudential will lease the four-storey building for 14 years, paying $6.50 psf a month. The company should move in by September.

However, some experts believe that transitional office sites will not be commercially viable given their brief tenure. Tenders for the two Newton sites close on April 24 for parcel A and April 30 for parcel B.

Source: The Straits Times 29 Feb 08

HK Reits get a new lease of life

Major acquisition, hotel trust listing may help revive investor interest

(HONG KONG) Hong Kong’s neglected real estate investment trust (Reit) market is stirring to life and may finally do what it’s supposed to – give investors stability, a decent yield and, possibly, clear prospects for growth.

A high-profile acquisition by office landlord Champion Reit, and the imminent listing of a hotel Reit by developer Far East Consortium, may help revive investor interest.

The reputation of Hong Kong’s Reits has been sullied by investor perceptions that they were used by wily developers to offload second-rate assets at inflated prices, and marred by the byzantine financial engineering that accompanied their deals.

As new Reit markets emerged across Asia, with investors enjoying fat dividends from rental income and capital gains from rising property prices, Hong Kong Reits were given the cold shoulder.

‘It seems like a lot of Reits are like a second concubine – it’s whatever leftover product you have,’ said Far East Consortium chief executive David Chiu.

‘But we’re saying to the market that we’re putting all the hotels we have in,’ he said about the group’s latest offering, a listing of its hotel Reit. ‘You either like it or not, but it’s all of them.’

After a year’s lull in new Reit listings, Far East has lined up an initial public offering (IPO), packaging all seven of its hotels in the city into the Hong Kong Hotel Trust, and moving away from complex financial engineering.

Earlier this month, Champion Reit said it would dismantle the complicated financial structure linked with its IPO, and also bought a 56-storey block in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district.

Hong Kong’s biggest developer, Sun Hung Kai Properties, is also considering resurrecting a planned office trust, while Swire Pacific wants to spin off its Festival Walk shop and office complex, bankers say.

Hong Kong’s Reit market made an explosive start in late 2005 when investors flocked to a US$2.4 billion IPO by Link Reit, drawn by pledges to revamp and squeeze more profit from 151 government-owned malls.

But the city’s six other Reits, including two with mainland Chinese assets, have fared worse on the secondary market, with their yields pushed up to between 8 and 10 per cent now from 5 to 6 per cent at their IPOs.

However, their share prices stabilised despite turbulent markets in the last six months, while Japanese and Singapore trusts slumped, and they now offer big and steady spreads over the 3.1 per cent yield given by 10-year bonds.

Comparable spreads for Reits in Japan and Singapore are much lower, at around 3.5 percentage points.

But high yields and cost of capital mean Hong Kong Reits often struggle to find acquisitions that are ‘yield accretive’ – or lift investor returns.

However, by using loans, a convertible bond issue, and new equity raising, Champion’s Reit has managed to buy Langham Place from the Reit’s sponsor, Great Eagle (Holdings), for US$1.6 billion.

The deal is getting a belated thumbs-up from analysts after initial suspicions the trust was paying too much.

‘Don’t overreact, this is a positive deal,’ wrote BNP Paribas analyst Andy So, when Champion’s share price slumped 5 per cent a day after the deal was announced.

He said the purchase would lift distribution per unit, despite dilution from the share sale, and praised the unwinding of financial engineering that had been unpopular with investors.

The trust had employed interest rate swaps and a dividend waiver by Great Eagle, that artificially lifted yields at the time of the IPO.

It now wants to unwind and simplify that structure.

With Champion embarking on a global roadshow to raise equity for the deal, a banker who worked on the transaction predicted it would herald a new beginning for Hong Kong Reits.

Source: Reuters (Business Times 28 Feb 08)

Keppel Land unveils Viet project plans

KEPPEL Land, one of the largest property developers in Vietnam, on Tuesday presented the concept plans for its Saigon Centre in Ho Chi Minh City to a group of delegates led by Singapore President SR Nathan and Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

Located in the central business district of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Centre is a mixed-use development on a two-hectare site fronting Le Loi Boulevard, the city’s main thoroughfare.

Phase One, completed in 1996, is a 25-storey building that includes a three-storey retail podium and 89 units of service apartments. KepLand said that it and local partners Sowatco and Resco would develop an iconic landmark integrating subsequent phases of Saigon Centre.

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

Malaysian economy grows 6.3% in 2007

Strong domestic demand boosted fourth-quarter growth to 7.3%

THE Malaysian economy expanded 6.3 per cent in 2007, with strong domestic demand propelling fourth-quarter growth to 7.3 per cent.

According to figures released by the central bank yesterday, growth was broad-based in all economic sectors. The services sector continued to be a key driver, expanding 9.1 per cent in Q4. Manufacturing’s 5.6 per cent pace was supported by an improvement in export-oriented industries including the electrical and electronic sector, particularly computers and parts. The construction sector, closely watched because of its huge multiplier effect, registered 4.7 per cent expansion.

The agriculture and mining sectors also turned in robust performances, underpinned by bullish commodity prices. Output rose 6.9 per cent and 7.2 per cent respectively.

Ahead of a general election on March 8, analysts expected the figures to be used by the incumbent National Front coalition to argue why voters should stick with it.

In its election manifesto this week, the Front released a slew of figures on its management of the economy since Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi won a landslide victory in 2004 – though he is expected to come up against much tougher opposition this time.

CIMB Research economist Lee Heng Guie stuck by his gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the current year of 5.8 per cent, which he said will be led by domestic demand driven by strong private consumption spending.

Domestic demand in Q4 was an impressive 9.8 per cent but softer than 12.6 per cent in Q3.

Gross exports expanded a sharp 7.5 per cent in Q4 compared with less than one per cent in Q3, mainly due to higher commodity exports and a turnaround in manufacturing exports. The latter grew almost 3 per cent – a reversal of a 2 per cent contraction in Q3.

Given the ‘intensification of the global slowdown’, CIMB’s Mr Lee said that it remains to be seen whether the pick-up in exports can be sustained. ‘It’s too early to confirm export recovery,’ he said, adding that the local economy could be vulnerable in a prolonged US slowdown or recession. Inflation was a mere 2.2 per cent in Q4 – mainly because fuel, gas to generate power, and many basic food supplies are heavily subsidised. Once the general election is over, it is expected that subsidies – particularly for fuel and gas – will be slashed.

‘Invariably, higher inflation will constrain consumer spending, but there would be off-setting gains in improved incomes because of stronger commodity prices,’ Mr Lee said. The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal scheme for mortgage payments,

which attracted 14,600 applications amounting to RM220 million (S$96.2 million) as at mid-February, will also help, be believed.

Still, he pointed out that the middle-class would be far less cushioned in an inflationary squeeze.

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

Orders for big-ticket US-made goods plunge 5.3% in Jan

(WASHINGTON) Signs of sluggish growth continue to beset the US economy with orders to US factories for big-ticket manufactured goods plunging in January by the largest amount in five months, even as Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke sent a fresh signal that the central bank will again lower interest rates.

The Commerce Department reported yesterday that new orders dropped by 5.3 per cent last month, reflecting declines across a wide swath of industry from commercial aircraft and cars to heavy machinery and computers as manufacturers got caught in the weakness engulfing the rest of the economy.

The worse-than-expected decline was the latest in a string of reports indicating that the economy, battered by a prolonged slump in housing, a serious credit squeeze and soaring energy prices, is in danger of toppling into a recession.

‘The economic situation has become distinctly less favourable’ since the summer, the Fed chief told the House Financial Services Committee in his semiannual economic report to Congress.

Since Mr Bernanke’s last such assessment last summer, the housing slump has worsened, credit problems have intensified and the job market has deteriorated. Mr Bernanke said that the confluence of these factors has turned people and businesses alike to adopt a more cautious attitude towards spending and investment. This, he said, has further weakened the economy.

Incoming barometers continue to ‘suggest sluggish economic activity in the near term’, Mr Bernanke told the House Financial Services Committee. At the same time, he added, the Fed must keep a close eye on inflation given the recent runup in energy and other prices paid by consumers and businesses.

For now, though, the No. 1 battle is shoring up the economy.

Mr Bernanke pledged anew to slice a key interest rate to help the wobbly economy, which many fear is on the verge of a recession – or possibly has already toppled into one.

The Fed ‘will act in a timely manner as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks’, Mr Bernanke said, hewing closely to assurances he offered earlier this month A growing number of analysts believe the economy will slip into a recession this quarter although they expect the downturn to be short and mild, thanks to aggressive interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and a US$168 billion economic stimulus package passed by Congress earlier this month.

Source: AP, AFP, Reuters (Business Times 28 Feb 08)

Room for growth in M’sian market: govt

(KUALA LUMPUR) Prospects remain good for the country’s property market with room for further growth, the directorgeneral of the Finance Ministry’s Valuation and Property Services Department, Abdullah Thalith Md Thani, said yesterday.

The market is, however, currently in a cautious mode in view of rising crude oil prices and the slowing down of the US economy, he said in a presentation at the Malaysian Property Summit here.

Mr Abdullah said higher prices would result in people concentrating on more important needs like food and transportation, with an impact on demand in the property market.

He called on developers to keep abreast with changes that influence market performance in order to avoid a mismatch between supply and demand.

He also said that the residential property sector has received a boost from the government’s move to allow Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributors to make monthly withdrawals for the financing of their houses.

Source: Bernama (Business Times 28 Feb 08)

Two more hotel sites put up for tender

TWO more hotel sites have been put on the market – a 99-year leasehold plot in Race Course Road, offered by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and a freehold plot in Bencoolen Street now occupied by Peony Mansion.

Peony Mansion’s owners want $50 million, which works out to about $850 per square foot of potential gross floor area including an estimated $2.65 million payable to the state for two smallish plots – one is a road ingress and the other houses an electrical substation – behind Peony Mansion.

The two plots total 2,760 square feet, while Peony Mansion runs to 11,964 sq ft. Peony Mansion comprises 33 apartments and two shop units.

Approval for a collective sale has been secured from owners controlling at least 80 per cent of share values – under the old en bloc rules.

Under Master Plan 2003, Peony Mansion is zoned for hotel use with a 4.2 plot ratio – the ratio of maximum potential gross floor area to land area.

Peony Mansion and the adjoining state sites can be redeveloped into a boutique hotel with about 200 rooms, assuming there are no food and beverage outlets. Peony Mansion will be marketed through a tender that closes on April 4.

Over in the Little India area, URA has launched the tender for a 0.9 hectare plot above Little India MRT station.

Jones Lang LaSalle regional director and head of investments Lui Seng Fatt says that assuming the plot is developed into a hotel of up to four-star standard and with about 500 rooms, the completed property would be worth about $600,000 a room or a total of $300 million.

Assuming construction costs of about $500 psf of gross floor area, the site’s land value works out to about $135 million or $400 psf per plot ratio (psf ppr).

However, CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho reckons that top bids for the site will come in higher – around $600-700 psf ppr – given the plot’s location above an MRT station.

‘The plot can be developed into a four-star property. Bidders are also likely to include some retail/food & beverage facilities.’

The plot has a 3.5 plot ratio, resulting in a maximum gross floor area of 338,417 sq ft.

The tender for the confirmed list site closes on May 21.

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

Govt uses ‘realistic’ assumptions instead of ‘optimistic’ ones

GST introduced while revenue position was still strong: Tharman

IN explaining the background to the way the government has turned out to have gathered far more money than was predicted in last year’s Budget, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam told Parliament yesterday that the basic approach is to use the best information available at the time, with ‘realistic’ assumptions rather than ‘optimistic’ ones.

At the time of the Budget last year, the finance ministry estimated 2006 stamp duties to be $1.5 billion and hence projected the same level for 2007, Mr Tharman said.

‘This was because 2006 was itself already an exceptional year,’ he said. ‘In fact the subsequent data for FY2006 based on actual collections for January and March – the data comes out later, after our Budget – showed a significant increase in stamp duties and took total stamp duty collections to $2 billion, not $1.5 billion which we estimated at the time of the Budget.’

Eventually, the property market accounted for more than $3.5 billion in extra revenues, lifting the budget surplus for FY2007 to $6.4 billion.

Although policymakers had assumed further price increases in the property market then, they did not expect the surge in the volume of transactions.

There was also uncertainty on whether the buoyancy in luxury projects would filter through to the rest of the property market.

Mr Tharman assured the House that soft targets were not set just so they could be exceeded.

In the past 10 years, there had been six instances of over-projection in the Budget positions.

But he conceded that accurate forecasting will remain difficult, ‘especially because we are a city economy that is fully exposed to the swings in global markets and to the vagaries of our own asset markets’.

He added: ‘We cannot expect too much prescience in the budget planning process.’

On the timing of last year’s GST increase, Mr Tharman explained it was necessary to introduce it while the revenue position was still strong, so that the government would be able to fully offset the impact on cost of living for most Singaporeans.

In fact, the $1.4 billion collected from the increase in GST was equal to the GST offset package and the Workfare Income Scheme paid out.

Data collected showed that the bottom 60 per cent of Singaporeans actually received more in offsets than the additional tax paid.

Mr Tharman also rebutted the argument that the government’s ‘grow at all costs’ policy had led to rising business costs and to lower-income Singaporeans being worse off.

‘It is precisely the rapid growth that we have seen in the last few years that has turned things around for our low income households and allowed them to enjoy positive growth in real incomes after the very difficult period they went through earlier in this decade,’ he said.

He stressed that the way to assure long-term growth for Singapore is to take advantage of opportunities when external conditions are favourable.

Small businesses, for instance, have been better off because Singapore has grown well in the last few years.

Even those that are heavily reliant on the domestic market have seen their businesses pick up because of the strong growth of Singaporeans’ incomes.

‘Costs are higher, but so are overall volumes and demand for their goods and services,’ Mr Tharman said.

He went on to say that the government is studying the individual learning account scheme as a tool to encourage participation in adult learning.

In the meantime, there are already incentives and subsidies of up to 80 per cent of fees to drive re-training of workers.

Although this year’s Budget is seen to provide for more significant benefits for households than businesses, Mr Tharman urged for it be seen as a balance between short-term relief measures for rising costs and long-term initiatives to build up capabilities.

While global uncertainties exist, the economy is not in a crisis, unemployment is at a record low, and the Singapore economy is expected to grow 4-6 per cent this year.

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

Ho Bee Q4 net falls 24%

HO Bee Investment, the biggest developer on Sentosa Cove, has posted a 24.2 per cent year-on-year drop in net earnings.

For the fourth quarter ended Dec 31 it made $38.8 million, a reduction attributed to lower property development revenue and profit.

The comparable period Q4 2006 saw the group’s top and bottom lines helped by the physical completion of The Berth condo.

Ho Bee did manage to achieve a record full-year net profit of $272.2 million, up 176.1 per cent from 2006, due to a sharp rise in revenue from property development, mostly from progressive recognition of revenue from the group’s projects on Sentosa Cove.

Also boosting the full-year bottom line was an $83.3 million gain in fair value of investment properties, mainly from office space that Ho Bee owns at Samsung Hub and Suntec City, and the group’s industrial properties.

Ho Bee acknowledged that demand for high-end residential property has dropped as foreign and local investors have become more cautious.

However, for Ho Bee, the substantial progressive recognition of income from the sale of residential projects and the expected launch of new residential projects will be a significant contributor to the group’s revenue and earnings for the current year ending December 2008 as well as the next two years.

Ho Bee is likely to launch this year the 150-unit Trilights on the Elmira Heights site at Newton Road, the 348-unit Dakota Residence (a joint development with ChoiceHomes Investments) and the 151-unit Seascape on the Seaview Collection plot at Sentosa Cove.

Ho Bee is also expected to launch a 72-unit condo, The Orange Grove, this year.

The group may also release a 184-unit condo on the Holland Hill Mansions site in the second half of this year in a joint venture with MCL Land.

The group’s joint-venture condo on the Pinnacle Collection parcel at Sentosa Cove could be launched in the first six months of next year.

Ho Bee shareholders will receive a two-cent per share (one-tier) final dividend.

Revenue for Q4 eased 63 per cent to $60.7 million while full-year revenue rose 51.7 per cent to $596.1 million. Most of the increase came from a 51 per cent jump in revenue from property development.

The improved showing was chiefly due to the progressive recognition of revenue from Ho Bee’s three Sentosa Cove projects, the Coral Island development, The Coast and Paradise Island, as well as Orange Grove Residences, Montview at Mount Sinai Road and Quinterra at Holland Road.

Ho Bee has yet to book revenue for Turquoise condo at Sentosa Cove as construction has yet to begin.

Source:  Business Times 28 Feb 08

CapitaLand plans US$300m Vietnam fund

It has also formed a partnership with a Vietnamese investment company

CAPITALAND, South-east Asia’s largest property developer, plans to set up a US$300 million property fund in Vietnam.

The company also said yesterday it has forged a partnership with Vietnamese firm Nam Thang Long Investment Joint-Stock Company to seek investment opportunities in Vietnam.

With the new business initiatives, the developer aims to strengthen its presence in Vietnam, which it has identified as one of its key Asian markets.

The news sent CapitaLand’s shares up as much as 27 cents – or 4.2 per cent – yesterday. The stock closed the day 16 cents up at $6.56.

In its filing to the Singapore Exchange, CapitaLand said it will leverage on its real estate and fund management capabilities to set up its first property fund to invest in Vietnam. It intends to take a 30 per cent stake in the fund, which has a target size of US$300 million.

To secure other investors in the fund, CapitaLand has signed a memorandum of understanding with Citi Private Bank, one of the world’s largest wealth managers which serves high net worth individuals with more than US$10 million in net worth each.

The partnership with Nam Thang Long Investment Joint-Stock Company, on the other hand, will allow CapitaLand to seek further business opportunities in Vietnam with a real estate focus. The two companies hope to develop residential properties and commercial and residential mixed developments together.

CapitaLand already has a significant presence in Vietnam, mainly in the residential and service residences sectors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

‘Our aim is to deepen CapitaLand’s presence in Vietnam to become a significant long term real estate player here,’ said CapitaLand chief executive Liew Mun Leong.

‘We’re confident of doubling our residential pipeline in Vietnam from the present 2,800 homes to about 6,000 in the next three years and we’re also looking for opportunities in the office, retail, and integrated leisure, entertainment and conventions sectors.’

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

SC Global posts 67% rise in FY07 profit to $28.3m

SC GLOBAL has reported a profit after tax and minority interests of $28.3 million for FY2007 – an increase of 67 per cent from 2006.

In a statement yesterday, it attributed its performance to sales of residential units at The Ladyhill, The Lincoln Modern, The Boulevard Residences and The Tomlinson.

Higher contribution from its Australian associate AV Jennings and a write-back of provision for diminution in value of development property also contributed.

SC Global has proposed a final dividend of two cents a share, after a special interim dividend of 3.5 cents a share paid during the year.

FY2007 turnover fell 32 per cent to $129.2 million, from $190.8 million in FY2006.

In particular, sales in the second half of 2007 fell 61 per cent to $41.2 million.

SC Global said this was mainly due to the timing of revenue recognition. It added that it also had a low number of completed units for sale.

It said its first development project in China made its maiden contribution to the group’s revenue.

While gross profit fell 16 per cent to $45.2 million for the year, gross margin was higher at 35 per cent compared to 28 per cent the previous year, as higher prices were achieved.

SC Global said the launch of its new residential project at Martin Road can be expected in Q2/Q3 this year.

In China it is also expected to launch the next phase of units at Kairong International Gardens in Q2/Q3 this year.

It added that it has secured a land bank of more than 1.1 million sq ft in Orchard Road and on Sentosa.

Source: Business Times 28 Feb 08

Foreclosure rate of US homes up by 57%

Situation worsens despite efforts to help borrowers manage payments

LOS ANGELES – THE number of United States homes facing foreclosure jumped 57 per cent last month compared to a year ago, with lenders increasingly forced to take possession of homes they could not unload at auctions, a mortgage research company said.

Across the US, 233,001 homes received at least one notice from lenders last month related to overdue payments, compared with 148,425 a year earlier, RealtyTrac said on Monday.

Nearly half of the total involved first-time default notices.

The worsening situation came despite ongoing efforts by lenders to help borrowers manage their payments by modifying loan terms, working out long-term repayment plans and other actions.

‘You have more people going into default and a higher percentage of the properties going back to the banks,’ said Mr Rick Sharga, RealtyTrac’s vice-president for marketing.

The US foreclosure rate last month was one filing for every 534 homes. The tally represented an 8 per cent hike from December.

Lenders typically consider borrowers delinquent after they fall three months behind on mortgage payments.

Attempts to help struggling home owners have fallen short.

‘The loan workout modification programmes aren’t having a significant material effect on keeping properties from going back to the banks,’ Mr Sharga said.

One dramatic trend last month was a 90 per cent spike in the number of properties that were repossessed by banks, compared to January last year.

‘It suggests that there’s little or no equity in a lot of these homes, because they are not even being sold to investors at auctions, and it suggests a continuing weakness in a lot of markets in terms of real estate sales,’ Mr Sharga said.

Falling home values and tighter lending standards have extended the housing slump, making it tougher for home owners unable to sell their homes or refinance when they face mortgage payments they cannot afford.

A wave of adjustable rate mortgage resets expected in May and June threatens to push many other home owners into default.

During the past year, 30 states saw an increase in the number of homes that had received at least one filing.

ASSOCIATED PRESS (Source: The Straits Times 27 Feb 08)

HDB launches 494-unit Punggol project

Four-room flats in BTO project meant to meet high demand; 278 applications so far

THE Housing Board has released another new build-to-order (BTO) project in Punggol to meet surging demand from house hunters.

It is offering 494 flats, all four-room units, at Punggol Spring – the first batch of 4,500 BTO flats planned for the first half of this year.

Already, 278 applications have come in for the flats, following their launch yesterday. They are priced at between $204,000 and $259,000 – about two-thirds the current price of resale flats in Punggol.

Industry players expect demand to continue to be strong, given the overwhelming response to recent HDB flat releases. Earlier this month, almost 10,000 hopeful buyers applied for just 278 surplus flats in Toa Payoh and Tampines.

By the time the BTO exercise for Punggol Spring closes on March 17, the flats could be four times oversubscribed, predicted Mr Mohamed Ismail, chief executive of property agency PropNex.

To address the shortage of flats – estimates show only 2,000 surplus units in stock – the HDB has recommended that would-be buyers consider resale flats and BTO projects.

It will release another 4,000 BTO flats between now and June, mainly in Punggol and Sengkang. The HDB also said it still has 711 flats available from recent BTO launches in Punggol and Sengkang, including more than 200 each in Punggol Vista, Fernvale Vista and Coral Spring.

But the HDB’s last four BTO projects have all seen at least twice the number of applicants than flats available.

The most recent were Damai Grove in Punggol and Jade Spring @ Yishun, which were released late last year. There were 1,888 applications for the 738 flats in Damai Grove and 1,908 applications for Jade Spring’s 384 flats.

PropNex’s Mr Ismail said that for many first-time buyers with relatively low income, BTO flats have become their only housing option as home prices soar.

But Mr Eugene Lim, the assistant vice-president of ERA Realty Network, pointed out that more BTO projects will not address the immediate housing shortage, as they take a few years to be constructed.

‘BTO is a longer-term solution,’ he said. ‘The segment of buyers that go through BTO may not be the same as the 10,000 applicants looking for leftover flats that are available sooner.’

Punggol Spring is expected to be completed by 2011. It is located within walking distance of the Damai LRT station, next to Punggol Secondary School and near the future town centre where the MRT station and bus interchange are located.

Source: The Straits Times 27 Feb 08

6.6% – Housing, transport, food prices fuel Jan inflation

INFLATION accelerated last month to a 26-year high of 6.6 per cent with housing, food and transport costs registering steep increases over the past year.

The January figure picks up pace from December’s 4.4 per cent jump – itself the biggest rise since April 1982 – as external and local factors added further upward momentum to consumer prices.

The big surge was largely anticipated by economists, who said inflation rates in the coming months are unlikely to rise much more from the current levels.

Still, the spike seems to have prompted an unprecedented move by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), which issued a statement on the inflation data as it was published yesterday by the Department of Statistics.

Seemingly looking to quell fears of spiralling living costs, the MTI said that while the jump in consumer prices last month was high,

this was consistent with the official full-year inflation forecast of 4.5 to 5.5 per cent.

It said the spike was bumped up by several one-off factors, adding that price pressures should subside later in the year.

The surge in last month’s consumer price index (CPI) was driven largely by an 11.1 per cent jump in housing costs.

Much of this came from the Government’s one-off revision of the annual values of public flats. The annual value is the theoretical rental income that a house could fetch in a year.

‘As has been explained in Parliament, this does not actually affect expenditures of most Singaporeans, who own the homes they live in,’ said the MTI statement.

The ministry also pointed out that price levels were especially low in January last year, due in part to service and conservancy rebates given out that month. Such rebates were not given last month as they were already doled out in December.

Less theoretical were the hikes in food and transport costs, the two biggest components of the CPI.

Driven by global prices, costs of raw food such as dairy products, cooking oil and meat surged, which in turn made dining out more expensive, said the Department of Statistics in its monthly statement.

High oil prices made driving more costly, while car prices and taxi fares rose, it added.

Some of the increase would have been the result of last July’s goods and services tax hike, which continues to inflate year-on-year CPI figures even though it is no longer raising price levels from one month to the next.

The MTI said looking at price rises between consecutive months would indicate inflation momentum better. Taking three-month averages to smooth out monthly volatility, it said inflation momentum picked up last July but has stayed constant since then.

Still, if headline inflation figures, which use year- on-year comparisons, remain high, inflation expectations may rise, warned Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng. This may prompt workers to demand higher wages to compensate for rising living costs.

Experts also said the CPI probably underestimates the pace at which living costs for foreign workers are rising, and hence the rate at which Singapore’s edge in the global competition for international talent is being eroded.

CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun noted that expatriates are likely to face much higher hikes in private home rentals and international school fees than what the CPI indicates.

Source: The Straits Times 26 Feb 08

Stimulus will leave US even more vulnerable, experts warn

Stimulus will leave US even more vulnerable, experts warn

WASHINGTON – EVEN if Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, United States President George W. Bush and the US Congress win the battle to avert a recession in the US this year, they risk losing the war to strengthen the economy for the long term.

US economic growth will get a boost in the second half of this year, as consumers spend some of the US$107 billion (S$150.6 billion) in tax rebates passed by Congress and signed by Mr Bush this month.

The US may suffer a letdown afterward, as the kick from the stimulus wears off, leaving the economy vulnerable to its underlying weaknesses: a retrenching financial industry, indebted consumers and slowing productivity growth.

‘This is not a one- or two-quarter phenomenon,’ says economist Neal Soss of Credit Suisse. ‘This is not a V-shaped event. It’s a slowgrowth scenario.’

Fed officials see growth picking up to more than 2 per cent next year, as inflation ebbs to 2 per cent or below.

Mr Bernanke is slated to discuss the central bank’s forecast in a testimony to Congress tomorrow and on Thursday.

So far, the Fed’s deepest interest rate cuts since 2001 have not helped the financial markets or the economy. What they have caused is an increase in inflation expectations, with the price of gold soaring to a record US$958.40 an ounce last week.

What is more, say economists Soss and Ethan Harris of Lehman Brothers, policymakers face structural changes in the economy that are not so susceptible to the traditional tools of interest-rate and tax cuts.

As a result, Mr Soss sees the economy expanding just 1.3 per cent this year and about 1.5 per cent next year.

Mr Harris is even more pessimistic. He sees growth easing to 0.9 per cent next year from 1.1 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent last year.

Fed officials acknowledged in the minutes of their last meeting on Jan 29 and 30 that they were having trouble getting ahead of the credit squeeze in financial markets.

The financial industry is curtailing credit and conserving capital after a decade-long boom in profits went bust in the third quarter.

Following mounting losses on past loans, banks have already taken write-offs of US$163 billion since the beginning of last year.

A Fed survey released on Feb 4 found that banks had become stingier in granting credit during the previous three months.

Fed officials say they expect that to continue, making it harder for the central bank to stimulate the economy through lower borrowing costs.

‘The Fed can give liquidity to the markets, but the Fed cannot do much if the markets are afraid of solvency risks,’ said Mr Robert McTeer, a former Dallas Fed president.

Consumers, until now the driving force behind the expansion, are feeling the squeeze. While households will get a short-term boost from the coming tax rebates, their longer-run finances look shakier.

Households reduced their savings rate to virtually nil in December from close to 10 per cent of disposable income 15 years earlier.

That trend may reverse as credit becomes scarcer and home prices fall.

Mr Allen Sinai, chief economist at Decision Economics, calls the pullback by consumers ‘a seismic shift’.

‘For several years, the growth of consumer spending is going to be significantly below its long-run average of 3.5 per cent,’ he said.

Consumers have also been pinched by the rising cost of food, fuel and other necessities.

Inflation, as measured by the personal consumption price index, clocked in at a 3.5 per cent year- over-year rate in December, the highest for that month since 1990.

Behind the heightened inflation concerns: slowing productivity growth, making it harder for companies to recoup higher costs through increased efficiency.

Professor Robert Gordon, of Northwestern University, says the surge in productivity that began around 1995 was a one-time event sparked by the advent of the Internet.

Nobel laureate Edmund Phelps says there is little the Fed can do when faced with such a structural change.

‘We’ve had a series of booms, and it seems to me they are now over,’ says Mr Phelps, an economics professor at Columbia University.

‘As a result, we’re going to see a period of slower growth than in the past.’

BLOOMBERG NEWS (Source: The Straits Times 26 Mar 08)

US existing home sales fall to lowest in a decade

US existing home sales fall to lowest in a decade

Weakness in housing market continues as median prices drop 4.6% year-on-year

WASHINGTON – SALES of existing United States homes fell to the lowest level in nearly a decade last month, while the median price for a home dropped for the fifth straight month.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said yesterday that sales of single-family homes and condominiums dropped by 0.4 per cent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million units, the slowest sales pace on record going back to 1999.

The median price of a home sold in January slid to US$201,100 (S$283,070), a drop of 4.6 per cent from a year ago. The fall in sales and the fifth consecutive decline in prices underscored the continued pressure facing housing, which is struggling to emerge from its worst slump in a quarter-century.

Sales were weak in all parts of the US except the Midwest, where sales posted an increase of 3.4 per cent. Sales dropped by 3.6 per cent in the North-east, 2.1 per cent in the West and 0.5 per cent in the West.

Sales of both existing homes and new homes tumbled for a second straight year in 2007, as the housing industry was battered by a severe credit crunch that hit in August.

This was around the same time that major financial institutions began reporting multibillion-dollar losses on their investments in risky sub-prime mortgages – loans made to home owners with weak credit.

The market for sub-prime mortgages has essentially dried up and other types of loans have become harder to obtain as lenders have tightened their standards.

Mr Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR, said he believed that the housing market may be on the verge of bottoming out, with a rebound expected to start towards the end of this year.

‘Sub-prime loans and other risky mortgage products have virtually disappeared from the marketplace, and over the past five months, this has been reflected in soft but fairly stable home sales,’ he said.

He said he expected demand to be bolstered in the coming months by the actions of Congress in the economic stimulus Bill to raise the caps on the size of loans that can be backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

Not everyone agrees.

Housing is ‘a long-term negative that’s going to continue’, Mr Joshua Shapiro, chief US economist at Maria Fiorini Ramirez in New York, said before the report.

‘The trends are still weak. Prices haven’t come down enough.’

Mounting foreclosures are adding to a glut of unsold homes that is driving down property values. Would-be homebuyers may be waiting for even lower prices, keeping the housing market depressed for a third year and dragging the economy close to a recession.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, BLOOMBERG NEWS (Source: The Straits Times 26 Feb 08)

SWF CONCERNS: Americans fear impact of foreign funds on economy

Voters do not want them to buy stakes in high-tech firms, key sectors: poll

(BOSTON) The majority of Americans fear that the US economy and national security could be hurt if sovereign wealth funds, the investment arms of foreign governments, put more money into US companies, new data show.

US voters do not want these funds, which manage between US$1.9 trillion and US$2.9 trillion, to buy stakes in high-tech firms, banks, oil and gas companies and ports, a study by the business advisory group Public Strategies said.

The opinion poll, released on Thursday, found that 55 per cent feel the funds would hurt national security and 49 per cent said the funds would have a negative impact on an already slowing US economy.

While Americans know little about these types of funds, their gut reaction is negative, said Dan Bartlett, a senior strategist at Public Strategies.

The public’s fear stands in sharp contrast with Washington and Wall Street’s more positive views as government officials and company executives agree that foreign investments can help American companies compete better. Financial giant Citigroup, for example, raised US$12.5 billion from foreign funds this year alone after posting heavy losses last year.

Roughly 68 per cent of the 1,000 registered US voters who were surveyed last week worry that foreign governments would gain too much control over the market if they kept making more investments here. The survey had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points.

‘Americans are becoming increasingly isolationist in their thinking in these issues,’ Mr Bartlett, a former counsellor to President George W Bush, said, adding: ‘The more they learn about sovereign wealth funds, they worse they feel.’

Nearly three in four voters of the respondents said they think that the foreign governments are too secretive with their investments and do not say enough about their strategies or portfolios, the survey found.

State-run investment funds, in which governments invest windfall revenue abroad, will quadruple in size to US$7.9 trillion by 2011, Merrill Lynch has predicted.

Critics in the US and Western Europe are concerned that secretive management under government sponsorship might allow funds to target strategic industries or roil markets with unexpected gluts of cash.

More than 60 per cent of those polled oppose investments from China, Russia, Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia garnered the most negative response, with 68 per cent saying they opposed any purchases of US companies by that country.

The unease about government investment comes amid a larger sense of protectionism and isolationist feelings among voters, Mr Bartlett said.

Source: Reuters, Bloomberg (Business Times 23 Feb 08)

Banking regulator sees more US mortgage defaults

WASHINGTON – Defaults are increasing among US homeowners with good, but not perfect, credit histories who obtained a non-traditional mortgage, a top US banking regulator said on Friday.

More pain can be expected as both borrowers with poor credit, who hold sub-prime mortgages, and borrowers with good credit, who hold Alt-A mortgages, see their interest rates reset, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp Chairman Sheila Bair said in prepared remarks for a speech in California’s Silicon Valley.

The Alt-A loan is generally made to borrowers who have good, but less than perfect credit histories and may involve less documentation of income and assets.

Ms Bair, who has been pushing banks and loan servicers to modify home loans, said new rules are needed to protect all homeowners and end compensation plans for brokers who steer borrowers into unaffordable mortgages.

About 85 per cent of borrowers with payment-option loans, one type of Alt-A mortgage, now owe more than they did at the time of origination, she said. About 75 per cent are making the minimum payment.

‘The problems associated with these products are already evident,’ Ms Bair said. ‘We’re seeing a rash of ‘first-year defaults’ among Alt-A loans to speculators and borrowers who should never have been qualified for the loan in the first place.’

Ms Bair has warned that a wave of loan problems involving prime borrowers looms next year because about US$600 billion of nontraditional mortgages were issued to prime borrowers in recent years.

Non traditional mortgages flourished after 2003, thanks to easy credit and double-digit home price increases in some markets.

Ms Bair and other banking regulators say one of the causes of the sub-prime mortgage mess stems from non-bank lenders that flew under regulatory radar while criteria to get a loan were lowered.

She also said a recent proposal by the US Federal Reserve Bank to amend the Truth-In-Lending rules, which apply to advertising and disclosure of interest rates and terms, are an important first step forward.

‘The home mortgage market needs strong rules,’ she said. ‘We need rules that apply acrossthe-board so they protect all homeowners, regardless of who their lender is, or what state they live in. We need rules that apply to banks and nonbanks alike.’

Source: REUTERS (Business Times 23 Feb 08)

Banks caught in sub-prime limbo

AFTER the excitement of the previous week during which the Straits Times Index (STI) enjoyed a 156-point bounce, this week was much more sombre as US recession fears reared its head while oil crossed US$100 per barrel.

For the most part, trading exhibited the same two-tier pattern evident in previous weeks with large-cap blue chips and small-cap penny stocks occupying most of the market’s energies.

As always, direction was set by Wall Street’s overnight close and Hong Kong, though in yesterday’s case, plunges in China also played a part in causing weakness here. After dropping to an intraday low of 3,013 yesterday, a late bout of short-covering in mainly the banks and Keppel Corp lifted the index to a close of 3,048.64 for a net loss of 6.17 points.

For the week, the index dropped 40 points or 1.3 per cent.

There was a brief mid-week play on mid-caps from the water treatment sector such as Hyflux and Epure, thanks to a Morgan Stanley report that pointed out the burgeoning demand in this part of the world for clean water.

Banks, in the meantime, appear to be caught in a sub-prime-induced limbo. Prudent provisioning for sub-prime losses hasn’t yet restored the market’s confidence in their future bottom lines, at least judging by their share prices. However, also judging by share price behaviour, it does appear that downside could be limited from here onwards.

For the week, DBS was unchanged at $17.90 while UOB rose 40 cents to $18.68 and OCBC gained 18 cents to $7.68.

Analysts appear unsure of how to play the banking card over the next few months – most seem to be hedging their bets with ‘neutral’ or ‘hold’ recommendations until greater clarity emerges.

Citigroup, in a results preview on Monday, probably summed the situation up best when it said that because economic risks remain to the downside, banks may remain depressed. ‘So despite price falls of up to 33 per cent to 5-8 per cent above trough valuations, we fear banks could be near-term dead money until a clear catalyst emerges,’ said Citigroup.

The other finance sector counter to come under pressure was the Singapore Exchange (SGX) whose shares yesterday dropped 26 cents to $8.79. Apart from the overall soft sentiment, a Goldman Sachs downgrade was probably instrumental on the grounds that slowing growth, high inflation and US recessionary forces will likely dampen market sentiment and hence, SGX earnings.

‘Our new target price of $8.20 implies 9 per cent downside potential. We have also set a ‘suggested entry level’ of $5.70 based on our worst-case EPS estimate (daily stock turnover of $1.6 billion, assuming velocity reverts to historical average),’ said Goldman Sachs.

On the state of the US economy, research outfit Ideaglobal during the week released a study of how the US Treasury yield curve tends to behave during V-shaped or U-shaped recessions and concluded that the present curve implied the latter. It said that the combination of high oil prices, collapsing property prices and financial market-induced slowdown is likely to result in a prolonged period of below-trend performance.

On what the charts say for the STI, Kim Eng’s online research unit KELive said in its ‘Long & Short Report’ yesterday that notwithstanding the recent post-Chinese New Year bounce, the long-term trend is down with a mid-term target of 2,650.

Source: Business Times 23 Feb 08

CapitaLand full-year profit soars 172.5%

CAPITALAND achieved a record performance in 2007, with full-year net profit soaring 172.5 per cent to $2.76 billion, from $1.01 billion the year before.

Revenue increased 20.5 per cent to $3.79 billion, from $3.15 billion in 2006.

The stellar performance was attributed to strong sales of development projects in China and Australia, and the consolidation of revenue from Raffles City Shanghai and

One George Street, which became group subsidiaries from Q4 2006 and Q4 2007 respectively.

Fuelled by sales registered in China and Australia, overseas revenue accounted for 76.4 per cent of group revenue, up from 71.2 per cent in 2006. Revenue from China grew 66.3 per cent to $1.1 billion, while revenue from Australia rose 16 per cent to $1.4 billion.

Directors have proposed a total annual dividend of 15 cents a share, comprising eight cents core dividend and seven cents special dividend.

If approved at the group’s annual general meeting in April, this will amount to around $420.9 million in dividends paid.

CapitaLand chief executive officer and president Liew Mun Leong said the group’s business model ‘has enabled us to deliver four consecutive years of record profits since 2004′.

But he said the first six months of 2008 are likely to reflect the dampening effects of the US sub-prime crisis and global credit crunch. However, he believes the market may turn around in the second half of the year.

Last year, CapitaLand sold more than 1,400 homes in Singapore and about 2,000 homes in China.

For 2008, Mr Liew said the group expects to launch between 800-1000 residential units in Singapore. Projects slated for launch include Latitude at Jalan Mutiara and the development at the former Silver Tower site. CapitaLand has a pipeline of of 3,500-4,000 units in Singapore, of which about 20 per cent are in the high-end region, he said.

The group has a pipeline of 35,000 homes in China, where it will launch about 2,000 units this year.

In Vietnam, it intends to launch three projects in Ho Chi Minh City. Over in Thailand, it is looking to launch two projects in Bangkok and Krabi.

On a business segment basis, revenue from residential developments in 2007 was $2.86 billion, up 21.5 per cent year-on-year. Earnings before income tax were $1.07 billion, up 52.6 per cent year-on-year.

CapitaLand’s commercial business unit reported revenue of $241.8 million, up 73.7 per cent year-on-year. Earnings before income tax were $1.96 billion, up 443.8 per cent year-on-year and attributed to fair value gains from investment properties, divestment gains, improvement in operating results as well as the consolidation of Raffles City Shanghai and One George Street.

CapitaLand’s retail unit saw revenue increase 31.3 per cent to $124.2 million year-on-year, with earnings before income tax rising 34.7 per cent to $297.9 million. This was attributed to revenue from Clarke Quay, malls in China and property management fees from the group’s China funds.

CapitaLand’s financial services unit saw assets under management grow $2.6 billion to $15.9 billion, excluding Ascott Residence Trust and Ascott Serviced Residence Fund. Revenue grew 17.7 per cent to $119.2 million and earnings before income tax increased 13.2 to $69.7 million.

The serviced residence unit saw revenue fall 3.9 per cent mainly due to consolidation of Ascott Residence Trust. But earnings before income tax rose 66.5 per cent to $337.2 million.

Source: Business Times 23 Feb 08

China’s economy leads world: poll

(WASHINGTON) More Americans believe China, not the United States, is the world’s top economic power, according to an opinion poll.The Gallup World Affairs survey found that four in ten Americans say China’s economy leads the world; only 33 per cent picked the United States.In 2000, the United States was top in the poll, with the support of 65 per cent. The World Bank lists the US as the world’s leader in economic output, with Japan second, Gallup said.China was ranked fourth in national economies in 2006.More than half of Americans polled eight years ago believed the US would be the world’s powerhouse economy for the next 20 years. Now, more predict that China will be top in two decades.The firm polled 1,007 adults in the US last week.The margin of sampling error was plus or minus three percentage points.  Source: AP (Business Times 23 Feb 08)

China no more the source of cheapest goods

Rising costs hit its competitive edge, forcing some firms to relocate overseas

(SHANGHAI) The teddy bears selling for US$1.40 each in Shanghai’s Ikea store may be just about the cheapest in town, but they’re not made in China – they’re stitched and stuffed in Indonesia.

The fluffy brown toys reflect a new challenge for China: its huge economy, which has long offered some of the world’s lowest manufacturing costs, is losing its claim on cheapness as factories get squeezed by rising prices for energy, materials and labour.

Those expenses, plus higher taxes and stricter enforcement of labour and environmental standards, are causing some manufacturers to leave for lower-cost markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India.

‘It’s true that we are facing difficulties regarding increased costs in China,’ said Linda Xu, public relations manager in China for Swedish retailer Ikea.

Though the competition for lower prices is not new, ‘we are constantly having to compete with other countries and suppliers’, she said.

While costs in China are rising nationwide, the greatest pain is being felt in the south, where about 14,000 out of the 50,000-60,000 Hong Kong-run factories could close in the next few months, said Polly Ko of the Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, which neighbours Hong Kong.

‘Wages are rising, materials cost more. Overall, costs are definitely higher,’ says Duncan Du, general manager of Shenzhen Oriental e-Tecs Ltd, an electronics maker in the southern city of Shenzhen.

To adapt, many multinational manufacturers – including Intel Corp, iPod maker Hon Hai Technology Group and Japanese companies like Canon Inc and Sony Corp are expanding operations in Vietnam.

Car-parts makers are decamping for the Middle East and eastern Europe, and textile makers to Bangladesh and India.

Thousands of smaller Hong Kong, Taiwan or Chinese-run factories in south China’s traditional export hub of Guangdong are closing or moving out.

As many as 300 of some 1,000 shoe factories in the Guangdong factory zone of Dongguan have closed down, according to a report by the China Light Industry Council. It said half of the shoe factories set up by Taiwan investors had already shifted production to Vietnam.

Costs have climbed so much that three-quarters of businesses surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai believe China is losing its competitive edge.

The higher costs mean Western consumers are bound to face steeper prices for iPods, TVs, tank tops and many other imported products made by small Chinese sub-contractors.

‘Americans continue to want to buy at lower prices,’ said Kevin Burke, president and CEO of the American Apparel and Footwear Association. ‘They are used to going to the store during Christmas and getting something cheaper than a year ago.’

That’s no longer a sure thing.

Chinese inflation, meanwhile, has risen to its highest in more than 11 years, jumping 7.1 per cent in January, as snowstorms worsened food shortages. The biggest price hikes have been for food, but longer- term pressures on prices for manufactured goods will persist, analysts say.

Despite its huge pool of unskilled rural labourers, China’s supply of experienced, skilled talent falls far short of demand. The gap has been pushing wages up by 10 per cent to 15 per cent a year.

A new labour law requiring stronger employment contracts is expected to raise costs even more.

Source: AP (Business Times 23 Feb 08)

GuocoLand to re-look Oval’s prices by June

Average RM1,500 psf price lower than some nearby properties, says CEO

IN KUALA LUMPUR

MOST new developments in the Kuala Lumpur city centre area trumpet their proximity to the prestigious Petronas Twin Towers as a selling point.

The Oval – GuocoLand Malaysia’s ‘twin-elliptical residential towers’ – claim to be that, and more.

The developer says its supersized units are akin to ‘full floor homes’, and will have an unimpeded 360-degree view of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) skyline.

The two residential towers are 41-storey blocks with 70 units in each structure. Four of the eight ‘Mansionary Villas’ in the first tower have been snapped up despite their price tag of RM10 million (S$4.4 million) upwards each.

As its name suggests, the Mansionary Villas are huge by normal city apartment standards, and buyers with families especially would appreciate the 7,600 square feet of space (five-plus-one bedrooms) and the four carpark lots allocated to each unit.

Non-Malaysians have been quick to warm to the upmarket offering, accounting for 60 per cent of the 20 or more units that have already been sold.

Foreigners eyeing KLCC area apartments are not so price sensitive, observed GuocoLand chief executive Paul Poh Yang Hong.

‘I think they also like the concept and the size of the units, and appreciate the potential capital upside,’ he said.

The Oval has not been officially launched although it has had previews since January for existing clients and associates.

Mr Poh believes The Oval’s average price of RM1,500 per square foot is another plus factor, as some other nearby developments have been priced at more than RM2,000 psf. But come its official launch this May or June, ‘we will re-look prices’, Mr Poh said at a media preview yesterday.

The first tower on the 2.14-acre project is 40 per cent complete, and buyers should be able to move in by the second quarter of 2009.

GuocoLand is not the original developer of The Oval. Through a wholly owned subsidiary, it acquired the entire equity interest in Titan Debut, which owned the 140 units of service apartments in the then-Oval Apartments.

Mr Poh said that the project was acquired while it was still at an early stage of development and the new buyers managed to infuse its ideas into it.

It found a ready financial backer in Kuwait Finance House (KFH) which heads a consortium of financiers for the project, whose gross development value is estimated at RM800 million.

KFH is the lead financier for a number of other big developments in the city centre such as Pavilion KL – the city’s newest high-end shopping centre – and has emerged as the most aggressive foreign banker in real estate deals in Malaysia.

It has no equity in The Oval, however, and Mr Poh said that while GuocoLand was keeping its options for the second tower open, it would prefer selling the units in the second tower individually rather than en bloc. The launch of the next block has not been decided yet.

The Oval will be previewed in Indonesia and Singapore next month. There is only one other option of units, and these are the Sky Villas – at some 3,750 sq ft they are half the size of the Mansionary Villas, and because there are two on each floor, each comes with just a 180-degree view.

But as Mr Poh conceded, nothing is constant, especially as there are still vacant lots surrounding The Oval. Skyline views could look quite different in the future.

Source: Business Times 23 Feb 08

Wheelock may not launch Orchard View this year

WHEELOCK Properties (Singapore) is likely to hold off launching Orchard View at Angullia Park for sale until next year, when the project is slated for completion. The company had earlier indicated that the development would be launched some time this year.

The group, which yesterday posted a six-fold jump in group net profit for the quarter ended Dec 31, 2007, to $217.5 million, also said it expects to launch Ardmore 3 next year. Piling work for the project is in progress and the development is slated for completion in 2012.

For Orchard View, the main construction work is already in progress and the development is scheduled for completion next year.

For the quarter ended Dec 31, 2007, Wheelock’s revenue from continuing operations rose 43.8 per cent to $189.3 million. Wheelock’s strong topline and bottomline were mainly due to the start of revenue and profit recognition for units sold in Ardmore II condo. The bottomline also received a boost from a $200 million revaluation surplus on Wheelock Place, the group’s retail-and-office investment property on Orchard Road.

Wheelock, which has changed its financial year-end from March 31 to Dec 31, said that for the current year it will book the remaining profits from The Sea View condo in the Amber Road area and The Cosmopolitan at the River Valley/Kim Seng Road corner, which are slated for completion in first-half 2008 and mid-2008 respectively.

It will also continue to book profits from Ardmore II based on the progress of construction work and expects to book maiden profits on Scotts Square, a 338-unit apartment development which is already 67 per cent sold at an average price of $3,988 psf. ‘Sales of the remaining units are ongoing and we expect to sell progressively over the next two years,’ the group said.

Wheelock Place is also expected to continue maintaining full occupancy in the current strong market conditions and ‘prospects for improved rental rates are good for both office and retail space’.

‘The group remains in a strong financial position to take advantage of opportunities which may arise,’ Wheelock said.

As at Dec 31, 2007, the group had total liabilities of $749.5 million and total equity of $2.18 billion. It had cash and cash equivalents of $557.7 million as at the same date. Shareholders will receive a 6-cent per share (one-tier) first and final dividend for the period ended Dec 31, 2007.

With the change in its financial year, the group reported net earnings of $273.5 million for the nine months ended Dec 31, 2007, against net profit of $297.9 million for the 12 months ended March 31, 2007.

Wheelock’s net asset value per share stood at $1.82 as at Dec 31, up from $1.69 as at March 31, 2007.

Earlier this month, the group boosted its investment in fellow upscale residential developer SC Global Developments from 12.01 per cent to 13.09 per cent.

Source: Business Times 23 Feb 07

When that ‘bargain’ may be an illusion

IN THE thick of the Asian financial crisis, some listed companies were actually trading below their net cash value; in other words, the leftover cash in their bank accounts after paying off all their liabilities was higher than market capitalisation.

So theoretically, someone who had the money could have gone into the market and bought up 100 per cent of the shares in order to gain control of the company. He could then have used the company’s cash to pay off all its liabilities. The remaining sum of cash would still have been more than the amount he used to buy the 100 per cent stake, leaving him with some profit to pocket.

In addition, there would have been other assets like buildings or investments which he could have liquidated. These would have been the icing on the cake!

Of course, in practice it may not be so easy. There would be the controlling shareholder to contend with. And the traders out there, once they sense a big buyer, may pounce on the stock.

But the point is: for companies whose market value is below its cash net of all liabilities, it may be an indication of market mispricing.

Back in June 2003 in this column, I highlighted three companies that were trading at near their cash value. I noted that in a prolonged bear market, investor aversion is so severe that very often stocks end up trading way below their asset values. And in extreme cases, the share price is even lower than the cash holdings of the company after netting all liabilities.

‘Of course, if the company has no intention to return the cash to shareholders and its operations are bleeding cash, then the share price may well have reason to be trading below the cash net of liabilities per share,’ I wrote then. ‘Unless there is a turnaround in the business, the cash will eventually be depleted.’

The three companies that had a high component of cash in their share price then were Auric Pacific, General Magnetics and k1 Ventures. Then, Auric’s cash net of its total liabilities worked out to 99.7 cents a share. Its share price at the time was 90 cents. General Magnetics’ net cash per share was 13 cents versus its share price of 14 cents. And k1 Ventures’ net cash was 18.4 cents per share, compared with a share price of 20.5 cents.

Fast forward to today, and all three have underperformed the general market. So ultimately, it is the business that drives the share price. But still, there is something appealing about trying to identify companies with a strong balance sheet, and decent business, yet trading at a low valuation.

This week, I attempted to screen some of the stocks for such criteria.

Most of the stocks which showed up on the list were China stocks, and most were loss making. This explains the deep discount in their share prices to their asset value. For example, United Food barely had any liabilities in its accounts as at Sept 30, 2007. Its cash and deposits amounted to $92.4 million or about 8.3 cents a share. Take into consideration other assets like inventory, accounts receivable, properties and land use rights, and the net asset value per share for the stock came to 40.7 cents. In the market yesterday, United Food last traded at 14.5 cents. That’s a discount of about 63 per cent.

Is the market correct in factoring in such a big discount for the company when the business is producing a profit, albeit a declining one?

Perhaps. As mentioned, the group’s earnings have been declining for years now. The management has proved to be rather poor in charting out a viable strategy for the group and executing it. United Food and People’s Food were established in China in the early 1990s and were listed in Singapore around the same time, in the early 2000s.

In their latest third-quarter results, People’s Food registered a net profit of 84.5 million yuan (S$16.7 million) on revenue of 1.8 billion yuan. United Food, on the other hand, managed only 14.8 million yuan of net earnings and revenue of just 745 million yuan. And there’s no sign of things turning for the better as yet. The directors themselves are not positive about the group’s prospects.

Meanwhile, United Food’s operations continued to drain cash. Its inventory and accounts receivable were rising despite lower sales. That’s not a good sign. Still, at such a deep discount to its net asset value – assuming all the numbers are reliable – any positive news will give a big boost to the stock price.

In screening the stocks, I also considered whether the company is currently generating positive cash flow, and whether the management is positive about the immediate future.

Presumably, if both are positive, and yet the stock is trading at a deep discount, then perhaps the stock deserves a closer look.

Based on the above criteria, China Flexible Packaging showed up on the radar. In its latest quarter, revenue grew 7 per cent to 284 million yuan, and net earnings edged up 9 per cent to 43 million yuan. Gross and net profit margins are 30 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. Its cash amounted to some 350 million yuan and its accounts payable and liabilities came to about 90 million yuan. The other assets are plants and equipment and accounts receivable.

As mentioned, the group’s operations are generating cash. However, rising oil prices are a threat to the margin of the group. The group said it is working on ways to improve its efficiencies to mitigate higher raw material costs. It added that it is ‘optimistic about the group’s performance in 2008′.

The ‘consensus’ estimate – I think there’s only one analyst covering the stock – is 9.9 cents earnings per share for the year ending Oct 31, 2008. That’s quite an ambitious 22 per cent increase from FY2007. If that happens, China Flexible Packaging would now be trading at four times its forecast earnings for FY2008.

Meanwhile, the group has recommended a dividend of 1.91 cents per share. If approved next Friday at its AGM in Guangzhou, then the dividend yield works out to some 4.5 per cent. The thing is, the group has disappointed investors before. It remains to be seen if its optimism is justified. But with the current 30-plus per cent discount to its net asset value, the downside is perhaps limited.

The other two stocks which are trading at a discount, and yet have a positive operating cash flow as well as a positive management outlook, are Plastoform and China Powerplus. Their discounts, however, are not as steep as China Flexible Packaging’s.

Source: Business Times 23 Feb 08

CapitaLand profit leaps to $2.76b on gains in key markets

Firm says volume for home sales could ease in the short term, but should pick up again by year-end

PROPERTY giant CapitaLand tips that home prices will increase by 5 per cent to 10 per cent this year, despite the cautious mood that has taken hold in recent months as many buyers stick to the sidelines.

The group, which announced a net profit of $2.76 billion yesterday, added that sales volume could moderate, although prices should hold up.

It said it faces challenging times in the near term due to the United States sub-prime crisis and the global credit crunch it has spawned.

‘In the first half, we will see a bit of headwind,’ president and chief executive Liew Mun Leong said in a results briefing, ‘but by yearend…, the situation in the residential market here will improve.’

Chairman Richard Hu underscored that view.

‘The current weakness in the US housing market and economy and tight credit environment will likely cast a cloudy outlook over the general economic and business conditions for at least the first half of 2008,’ he said.

CapitaLand said its cash reserves of $4.4 billion and low gearing had placed it in a good position to capitalise on opportunities that could arise during this period.

It is well-placed largely because of a net profit of $2.76 billion last year – almost three times the previous year’s $1 billion.

South-east Asia’s largest real estate company said the sparkling numbers were achieved on the back of sterling performances in its key markets of Singapore, China and Australia.

It also benefited from revaluation gains. The surge in prices last year, particularly in the Republic, led to the group recognising revaluation gains of some $1.1 billion from its investment portfolio.

Boosted by a $136.8 million revaluation gain, fourth-quarter earnings hit $674.7 million from $453.5 million a year earlier.

Full-year revenue reached $3.79 billion, up from $3.15 billion year-on-year.

Singapore accounted for 61 per cent of the group’s earnings before interest and tax last year from 51 per cent a year ago.

Earnings per share for the full-year rose to 98.6 cents from a restated 36.6 cents a year ago. Net asset value per share was at $3.54 at the end of last year, up from $2.65 a year earlier.

The group acquired 4.37 million sq ft of land last year, bringing its total pipeline to 5.5 million sq ft of gross floor area.

It sold 1,430 homes worth more than $3 billion in Singapore – making it the largest listed seller here – as well as about 2,000 homes in China.

Unlike some developers, CapitaLand, which has little stock of unsold homes, will not delay its residential launches in Singapore this year. It plans to launch 800 to 1,000 units this year, including 130 units of its high-end condominium Latitude in Jalan Mutiara and 70 units of its luxury condo on the Silver Tower site in Cairnhill in the first half of the year.

Some units in Latitude were sold at a preview last year for $2,494 to $2,829 per sq ft, based on caveats lodged.

Early next year, CapitaLand will launch a 99-year leasehold condo with an estimated 1,500 units on the Farrer Court collective sale site. The firm said yesterday it would be designed by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid.

Mr Liew said Singapore’s evolution into a global city was behind the surge in property prices, marking this boom out from one in the mid-90s when domestic factors were the driver.

Nevertheless, for this year, residential demand will be driven mainly by steady new household formation and demand from buyers displaced by collective sales, he said.

CapitaLand’s assets under management reached $17.7 billion last year.

Source: The Straits Times 23 Feb 08

COST SPIRAL: Rising prices, bigger handouts

Rising costs for individuals and businesses, a growing ‘gimme’ mentality and the dangers of the ‘green-eyed’ syndrome in society were among the concerns raised at a Straits Times roundtable, chaired by deputy editor Warren Fernandez, ahead of next week’s debate on this year’s Budget

THEIR big looming worry is how fast costs for both individuals and businesses will keep rising, and for how long.

Their reading: No reprieve any time soon, even if economic growth were to moderate this year due to a global slowdown, as the momentum of economic activity will mean that competition for land, labour and other resources will remain red hot.

The six panellists fired off tough questions for the Government on why it pushed ahead with last July’s hike in the goods and services tax (GST) from 5 to 7 per cent, and the increase in Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) tariffs from April this year, at a time when the inflation rate is high and rising.

Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng said: ‘I think the real danger here is that this could risk entrenching inflation expectations – therefore making the inflation problem even more persistent than it otherwise would be.’

OCBC economist Selena Ling agreed. She observed that inflation has both external and domestic sources and said government fee hikes can have a significant impact on costs over the medium term.

But panel members were divided on how best to tackle the issue of rising costs for businesses.

At one end were Mr Kit and MP Inderjit Singh. They argued that this year’s Budget should have done more to help businesses tackle rising costs, with some short-term reliefs.

Mr Singh, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Finance and Trade and Industry, said cost increases for materials, rentals and manpower have been ‘too steep and too fast’, catching many businesses off-guard.

‘So businesses will struggle for a while. And I thought that this was the best time, with the kind of surplus that we have, to also address this short-term problem,’ he said.

The Government logged a whopping $6.45 billion Budget surplus last year, due to record levels of stamp duties from a red-hot property market and higher- than-expected income tax receipts.

Its 2008 Budget measures for businesses, however, focused on developing local enterprises over the longer term, through new tax deductions and incentives to spur research and development.

But Mr Singh said what businesses urgently need are measures such as rental and corporate tax rebates, to provide immediate relief from cost pressures.

Mr Kit questioned if the Government should go ahead with this year’s planned ERP hikes, which will further raise business costs.

Businessman Zulkifli Baharudin and MP Sin Boon Ann took a different view.

They argued that Singapore’s open economy limits what the Government can do to buffer businesses and individuals against high costs. They believe the focus should be on channelling resources to raise productivity.

Mr Zulkifli, managing director of logistics company Global Business Integrators, said: ‘If you want to be a London or New York, then it’s going to be very costly. But there’s the other side of the argument, which is productivity. If your productivity is high, you can mitigate against high costs.’

High costs have hit individuals too.

Taxi driver Raymond Lo, 68, a regular contributor to the Forum pages of this newspaper, said the public feels ‘Singapore is a very expensive city to live in’.

He related a recent incident which brought home to him how prices are shooting up.

He stopped at a petrol station to pick up his favourite lotus paste bun, only to find that the price had gone up from 60 cents to 80 cents.

‘I got a shock. That is a 33.5 per cent jump,’ he said.

Mr Lo welcomed the Budget measures to help the lower-income cope with rising costs but says more needs to be done to combat profiteering. Amid a buoyant economy, businesses believe they can get away with raising costs by more than the rise in GST.

Others round the table, however, noted that costs have risen in part because of global factors beyond anyone’s control, such as oil prices hitting US$100 a barrel, and skyrocketing food prices worldwide.

Mr Singh pointed to how wages had been rising significantly, with some bankers, for instance, drawing $8,000 starting salaries. Such rises feed into higher prices for rentals and housing, adding to inflationary pressures.

Last week, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced a $1.8 billion surplus-sharing package that included personal income tax rebates, cash grants in the form of Growth Dividends and top-ups to Medisave.

Those on lower incomes and the elderly received more Growth Dividends and larger top-ups.

Mr Tharman also gave the assurance that the Government has in place strategies to ensure Singapore continues to have lower inflation than the rest of the world, over the medium term.

In assessing how the Government is helping Singaporeans cope with inflation, the six cited two main concerns. The first is Singaporeans may develop a ‘subsidy mentality’ and expect handouts in every Budget.

The second is the social tension arising from a growing income gap.

Mr Singh noted that the Government has felt compelled to dish out goodies three Budgets in a row: this year because of the ‘unbelievable’ surplus and rising costs, last year to offset the GST hike, and the year before because ‘it was a good time to do it for the Government’.

Singapore went to the polls in 2006.

OCBC economist Selena Ling said the Government could better manage expectations of handouts if it could find a more accurate way of estimating its tax receipts.

She suggested a mid-year review of its budgetary position.

‘ That’s something they really need to look into because it’s all about managing expectations, at the end of the day. If you project a small deficit and in the end, you get a huge surplus, the political pressure will be there,’ she said.

Mr Sin, who chairs the GPC for Community Development, Youth and Sports, was concerned that people’s expectations will always outstrip the Government’s ability to help them cope with rising costs.

The challenge, he said, is to manage expectations in the midst of a rich-poor divide that cuts across local-foreigner lines.

The double blow of rising costs and a widening income gap on low-income Singaporeans is causing Mr Singh to wonder about the Government’s strategy of making a dash for growth in good years.

This approach had given rise to the present situation in which the economy is racing ahead, but running into major constraints in terms of labour shortages, a housing crunch, and crowded public transport.

He plans to make that a focus of his speech during next week’s Budget debate.

‘A couple of years ago, the PM – when he was the Finance Minister – said that his model is going to be grow as fast as you can in good years to make up for the bad times, and so therefore, we created an overheated situation,’ he says.

Others, like Mr Kit, pointed to how attempting to ease the shortage of workers could give rise to more pressures on housing and places in schools.

While no one was wishing for slower growth – which might come this year anyway – panellists believed that more could be done to help businesses and individuals cope with the downside of a boom economy.

Source: The Straits Times 23 Feb 08

GST hike, Budget surplus and rising costs

LAST year’s huge Budget surplus of $6.45 billion is causing some economists and MPs to question the timing of last July’s hike in the goods and services tax (GST).

The issue came up for debate when a taxi driver, two MPs, two economists and a businessman met at The Straits Times on Thursday for a roundtable discussion on Budget 2008.

Rising costs for individuals and businesses remain their top concern.

Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng pointed out that some of the cost increases are within the Government’s control.

He cited the GST hike and the increases in Electronic Road Pricing charges due to start in April.

‘There’s a question of why all these price increases are coming at a time when the inflation rate is already very high and continues to rise,’ he said.

But MP Inderjit Singh countered Mr Kit’s point that the GST should have been raised in two steps, not one.

That would have opened the door for businesses to raise prices not once, but twice, possibly causing more hardship to consumers, Mr Singh said.

The six panellists also tackled the issue of a widening income gap and whether regular Budget handouts would breed a ‘subsidy mentality’ among Singaporeans.

Businessman Zulkifli Baharudin said: ‘It’s good to give but I hope down the line, we do not create a mentality that Budget time is just about hongbao.’

Insight reports on their frank exchange of views on the Government’s financial policy.

Source: The Straits Times 23 Feb 08

ECONOMIC REVIEW: Japan downgrades growth assessment

ECONOMIC REVIEW

Japan downgrades growth assessment

TOKYO – JAPAN’S government yesterday downgraded its assessment of Asia’s largest economy for the first time in 15 months, saying the recovery was losing steam due to slowing United States growth.

A monthly report from the Cabinet Office acknowledged that exports and industrial output are cooling, while consumer spending is sluggish.

‘The economy is recovering at a moderate pace,’ the report said, tweaking its previous assessment that the economy ‘is recovering, while some weaknesses are seen’. The government said the move marked the first downgrade since November 2006.

The report cited downside risks to the Japanese economy resulting from slowing US economic growth, financial market volatility and higher oil prices.

The government also downgraded its assessment of exports for the first time in 17 months, saying they were ‘increasing moderately’.

‘Exports to Asia continue to be solid, while shipments to the US are declining and those to the European Union are turning almost flat as its economic recovery is moderating,’ a Cabinet Office official said.

The report lowered its assessment of industrial production for the first time in eight months, saying it was ‘growing at a slower pace’.

Source: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE (The Straits Times 23 Feb 08)

Lack of green perks disappoints industry players

Lack of green perks disappoints industry players

Budget surplus gives scope for perks such as tax credits, say industry players

IT HAD been widely anticipated, but in the end, the ‘green Budget’ that many people had been waiting for did not materialise.

The lack of incentives such as tax credits to encourage environmentally sustainable business practices has left industry players across various business sectors feeling disappointed.

They say the bumper $6.4 billion Budget surplus offered plenty of scope for such measures.

Post-Budget discussions in both the public and private sector have questioned the ‘noticeable absence’ of such policies.

Some MPs have said they will be raising questions of their own at the upcoming Budget debate, which begins on Monday.

Singapore Environment Council executive director Howard Shaw said, given that awareness of climate change has grown in the Republic in the last year, the lack of pro-green fiscal policies has been very surprising.

‘I thought this year would be the green year. But perhaps, we’ll see some provisions for this in the upcoming debate,’ he said.

Dr Teo Ho Pin, the MP for Bukit Panjang, also said he had expected a ‘green element’ in the Budget, delivered on Feb 15. ‘In emission standards, we are a long way off. Perhaps we should provide for all our public transport going diesel too,’ he said.

Only one announcement – to cut costs for private diesel cars – seemed related. Under newer standards, such cars release less carbon dioxide than petrol cars.

However, Mr Charles Chong, who heads the Government Parliamentary Committee on National Development and Environment, felt the Government should move towards encouraging compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, which are greener than diesel and petrol cars.

Mr Chong, an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said he will also be asking questions related to green incentives in the debate.

‘The private sector is more bottom-line driven and less altruistic in the short term. The Government has to take a longer-term view and put in the green infrastructure and policies. And what better time to do it than in a Budget surplus year?’

Although widely-expected direct measures such as tax credits for energy-efficient equipment for businesses did not turn up, the Budget did include indirect measures such as tax allowances for local research and development (R&D) – which could boost the environment solutions sector.

Also, in the past year, the Government has announced a slew of initiatives to improve environment sustainability such as the Clean Energy Programme Office.

Funds have been set aside to build test-bedding sites and for manpower training.

These efforts, although not part of the Budget, also helped to drive the local green movement.

Nominated MP Edwin Khew, also chief executive of local waste recycling firm IUT Global, said the R&D incentives will help the clean energy sector as its development is tied closely to breakthroughs in R&D.

Mr Khew said he will ask about incentives for the clean technology sector on Monday.

Recently, PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore tax partner David Sandison said Singapore might have missed an opportunity in the wake of the Bali climate change conference to take a lead in the green movement.

Mr Shaw, however, recognised that an economy with green policies does not happen overnight. He added: ‘Making the right decisions is necessary and this will take time.’

Source: The Straits Times 23 Feb 08

Rising costs squeeze Chinese factories

SHANGHAI – THE teddy bears selling for US$1.40 (S$1.97) in Shanghai’s Ikea store may be just about the cheapest in town, but they are not made in China: They are stitched and stuffed in Indonesia.The fluffy brown toys reflect a new challenge for China. Its huge economy, which has long offered some of the world’s lowest manufacturing costs, is losing its claim on cheapness as factories get squeezed by rising prices for energy, materials and labour.Those expenses, plus higher taxes and stricter enforcement of labour and environmental standards, are causing some manufacturers to leave for lower-cost markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India.‘It’s true that we are facing difficulties regarding increased costs in China,’ said Ms Linda Xu, public relations manager in China for Swedish retailer Ikea.Though the competition for lower prices is not new, ‘we are constantly having to compete with other countries and suppliers’, she said.While costs in China are rising nationwide, the greatest pain is being felt in the south, where about 14,000 out of the 50,000 to 60,000 Hong Kong-run factories could close in the next few months, said Ms Polly Ko of the Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, which is next to Hong Kong.‘Wages are rising, and materials cost more. Overall, costs are definitely higher,’ said Mr Duncan Du, general manager of Shenzhen Oriental e-Tecs, an electronics maker in the southern city of Shenzhen.To adapt, many multinational manufacturers, including Intel, iPod-maker Hon Hai Technology Group and Japanese companies like Canon and Sony, are expanding operations in Vietnam.Car parts makers are decamping for the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and textile makers to Bangladesh and India. Thousands of smaller Hong Kong, Taiwan or Chinese-run factories in south China’s traditional export hub of Guangdong are closing or moving out.As many as 300 of some 1,000 shoe factories in the Guangdong factory zone of Dongguan have closed down, according to a report by the China Light Industry Council. It said half of the shoe factories set up by Taiwan investors had already moved production to Vietnam.Costs have climbed so much that three-quarters of businesses surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai believe China is losing its competitive edge.The higher costs mean consumers outside China are bound to face steeper prices for iPods, TVs, tank tops and many other imported products made by small Chinese subcontractors.Chinese inflation, meanwhile, has risen to its highest in more than 11 years, jumping 7.1 per cent last month, as snowstorms worsened food shortages. The biggest price hikes have been for food, but longer-term pressures on prices for manufactured goods will persist with prices for plastics and other materials climbing 30 per cent or more, analysts say. Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS (The Straits Times 23 Feb 08)

Rising inflation across Asia mauls S’pore Reits

Trusts may still get big lift from higher rents, higher hotel rates, say analysts

SOARING inflation across Asia has sucked the life out of real estate investment trusts (Reits), whose high-yielding dividends have made them wildly popular among investors in recent years.

Reits, in general, have fallen about 32.5 per cent in value from their peaks last year, but those with assets in inflation-prone economies, such as China, have fared even worse, according to financial portal Shareinvestor.com.

CapitaRetail China Trust, for instance, has fallen 52 per cent in four months, as inflation in China galloped to 7.1 per cent – its highest level in over a decade.

Reits are financial instruments investing in real estate like shopping malls, office buildings and hotels.

Investors can buy units, which are much like shares, offering attractive dividend yields of 6 per cent to 8 per cent derived from rents. This is far higher than the 1.5 per cent interest on one-year fixed deposits at a bank.

Historically, a low interest rate environment has been good for Reits – if accompanied by low inflation.

Take CapitaMall Trust, the first Reit listed in Singapore. Its assets include the Tampines Mall and Junction 8 shopping centres.

It received an overwhelming response from investors when it listed six years ago, rising from just 96 cents in July 2002 to a record

high of $4.32 in July last year. Inflation played its part by staying at a benign 1 per cent.

As the consumer price index, however, surged from 1.3 per cent in June to 4.4 per cent in December, CapitaMall slid 20 per cent over

the period.

The inflation pressure is unlikely to abate in the near future.

Last week, the Government revised its estimates upwards to between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent for the year, from an earlier forecast of 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent.

So, while fears of a United States recession are causing much grief among investors as they watch the value of their growth stocks evaporate, inflation is becoming a big threat to those with high dividend-yield plays like Reits.

One trader explained: ‘A Reit may offer 6 per cent in dividend yield. But if inflation is running at 4.5 per cent, the actual yield an investor is getting is only 1.5 per cent.’

To compensate for the lower return, an investor will demand a lower price for the Reit, which escalates the pressure on its share price.

Still, analysts have not stopped promoting Reits, despite their lacklustre performance, to clients.

Morgan Stanley made a case last month with a report arguing that investors had wrongly penalised Reits with concerns over acquisition growth and credit-tightening conditions.

Investors have ignored the ‘organic’ boost Reits may get from higher rents as leases expire and hotel rates are jacked up during peak periods.

Citigroup noted on Tuesday that while there may not be a clear growth strategy for Reits this year, some are trading at hefty discounts to their net asset values, despite offering single-digit or even double-digit dividend yields. ‘This makes Reits potential takeover targets, if they have loose shareholding structures,’ it added.

Its top picks include Ascendas Reit, Suntec Reit and Parkway Life Reit.

Source: The Straits Times 23 Feb 08

US recession may be as deep as in the 1990s

Fed likely to remain aggressive about cutting rates as a result, says Merrill

NEW YORK – THE United States is in a recession that could be much worse than what it faced in 2001, and closer to the sharper economic slump of the 1990s, investment bank Merrill Lynch has said.

The bank also said the US Federal Reserve would likely remain in ‘aggressive rate-cutting mode’ as a result, cutting rates by 50 basis points on March 18.

Merrill argued that the manufacturing slowdown in the US mid-Atlantic region showed a ‘collapse in business confidence’ to levels not seen since the 1990s recession.

‘A pullback in the outlook of this magnitude could be extremely corrosive to the economy because it means shuttering production, slashing inventories, deeper job cuts and even cancelling capital expenditure plans,’ Merrill said in a report on Thursday.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s business activity index, a reading of factories in the mid-Atlantic region that is viewed as a precursor of national factory performance, fell to minus 24 this month, below expectations for a minus 11.

Readings below zero show contraction in the industrial sector.

The reading was worse than even the most pessimistic Wall Street forecast, and suggested that economic deterioration is happening even more rapidly than many expected as the housing downturn continues unabated.

‘The debate is no longer about whether the economy is in a recession. In our view, it is about how hard the landing will be,’ Merrill said.

The six-month outlook in the region has collapsed from a cycle high of 39.6 last October to minus 16.9 this month, the steepest decline ever recorded by the Fed report, the bank noted.

‘This is clearly pointing to an economy that is in a recession,’ said Mr Eric Green, an economist at Countrywide Financial.

The softness was pervasive and looked to be getting worse, with the index of six-month business conditions falling to its lowest level since 1990.

New orders remained in negative territory but improved to minus 10.9 from minus 15.2, although employment did turn positive after a dip last month.

Separately, the Conference Board’s index of leading US economic indicators fell for a fourth straight month in January, dropping 0.1 per cent and corroborating the weakness seen elsewhere in the economy.

‘Four monthly declines in a row ordinarily is taken as an indicator of a manufacturing recession,’ said Mr Pierre Ellis, a senior economist at Decision Economics.

These concerns drove the stock market sharply lower and triggered a rally in the US Treasury bond market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 142.96 points, or 1.2 per cent, to 12,284.3 at the closing bell on Thursday.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 23 Feb 08)

Property sector braces for tougher times in 2008

Players feel squeeze from more credit woes and soaring construction costs

THE property market in Singapore is set to face a challenging year ahead as it continues to take hits from the sub-prime crisis in the United States and rising construction costs, industry body Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (Redas) said.

‘Unfortunately, the sub-prime woe continues to hog the headlines,’ saidRedas president Simon Cheong, during Redas’ annual Chinese New Year celebration yesterday. ‘Six months’ ago, we were concerned with the market exuberance. This coming six months, we are wondering when the market will turn around.’

Construction cost is also spiralling upwards at an unprecedented rate, Mr Cheong said.

The property market’s expected slowdown comes on the back of an exceptionally good 2007. Last year, a record-breaking 14,800-plus residential units were sold, the office occupancy rate hit 93 per cent and the hotel sector saw a occupancy rate of 87 per cent.

But this year, with more write-downs for sub-prime exposure expected from major financial institutions – which could affect home prices and demand here – and high construction costs affecting margins, developers are bracing themselves for tougher times ahead.

‘We are concerned that construction costs have gone up so sharply and squeezed (developers’) profit margins so much that a small decline in the the final selling price will affect developers severely,’ said CB Richard Ellis’ chairman for Asia, Willy Shee. ‘A small increase in construction cost and a small decline in selling price will put developers in a very difficult situation.’

Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu, who was guest-of-honour at Redas’ event yesterday, similarly said that the property market’s prospects are dependent on how the sub-prime crisis is going to affect sentiment in the region.

Mr Cheong believes that the market will ‘get some traction back’ in the second half of this year. Interest rates in Singapore are at a record low, which will encourage home ownership, he said. And the influx of expatriates at all levels coming to Singapore – on the back of an anticipated office supply of 15 million sq ft over the next three to four years – will also provide a boost to the property market, Mr Cheong said.

‘Removal of estate duty also helps,’ said Chia Ngiang Hong, Redas’ first vice-president and group general manager of City Developments. ‘The super-rich will focus on Singapore again.’

Analysts, worried about developers’ prospects for this year, are already starting to recommend that investors put their money into the more diversified property companies and/or switch to real estate investment trusts (Reits).

‘In the current volatile market environment, we recommend stocks of listed property companies with strong balance sheets offering multiple-sector presence and geographical diversification,’ said UOB Kay Hian analyst Vikrant Pandey. Citigroup analyst Wendy Koh said: ‘In the light of the current uncertainties, we retain our preference for Reits over the developers.’

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

Parkway justifies record land bid with vision for a ‘hospital of the future’

Focus will be on cardiology, oncology and orthopaedics

(SINGAPORE) Parkway Holdings will be building on its newly-acquired Novena site what it calls a ‘hospital of the future’, that will incorporate a hub of top medical professionals, with the latest technology, organised along a high level of thoughtfulness for the patient.

Speaking to the press and analysts for the first time since winning the Novena hospital site at a record bid of $1,600 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), Parkway’s management yesterday justified the price – more than double the second-highest bid of $694.50 psf ppr.

‘We are already operating with capacity constraints at our present facilities, and with the ageing population and changing demographics, we would not be able to contribute as much as a leading private healthcare provider,’ said group president and CEO Lim Cheok Peng.

‘Administratively, we have begun to move non-clinical functions off-site to free up more space for the hospitals. This would not be enough as the shortfall for private patient beds by 2012 could be as many as 2,000.’

Parkway – which houses 767 beds at the Mt Elizabeth, Gleneagles and East Shore hospitals – is already operating at about 70 per cent capacity.

For a long-term solution to better manage patient turnover and expand its catchment of international patients, ‘it had to secure the land’, said chairman Richard Seow.

Development cost for the new hospital is estimated to be $300-500 million. To be completed by July 2011, it will have a 15-storey tower, linked to a five-storey podium block that will house mainly medical suites, retail and lobby areas.

The development will have a maximium gross floor area of 72,350 sq m, of which 30 per cent will be set aside for medical suites and 5 per cent for retail space. A large part will be taken up by the 324 patient rooms planned, and the rest for diagnostics and ancillary services, and a 255-lot basement carpark.

The new private hospital will focus on cardiology, orthopaedics and oncology specialties. It will also feature 100 per cent single rooms, patient floor balconies, gardens and rooftop landscape to enhance the inclusion of light and nature in a healing environment. The architect for the project is Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK).

Parkway was unable to discuss financial details ahead of the announcement of its full-year results, scheduled for release next Wednesday. But it had earlier indicated that the acquisition of the land, amounting to more than $1.2 billion, and the development cost will be financed through a mix of internal resources and bank borrowings.

Parkway shares have taken a beating this week since the award of the tender for the Novena site on Monday.

On the same day, its shares fell 8.3 per cent to $3.30 on concerns that the group may have overpaid for the land.

But COO Daniel Snyder yesterday expressed confidence in the project, saying that his strategy and business development team has been receiving calls from parties with investment offers.

The group has also received ‘unanimous support from our accredited doctors and partners’.

Parkway shares ended 4 cents lower to close at $3 yesterday.

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

Office rents in Singapore on upward climb: property firms

THE occupancy cost for office space in Singapore is now higher than in Hong Kong, according to a new report.

Data from property firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) show that total occupancy cost here hit US$10.42 per square foot per month (psf pm) at the end of 2007.

By comparison, total occupancy cost for Hong Kong was US$9.74 psf pm at the end of last year.

Total occupancy cost reflects base rents as well as other property-related expenses such as management fees and property tax, according to CBRE.

Prime office rents in Singapore rose 19.1 per cent in just the fourth quarter of 2007, CBRE’s report said. For the entire year, office rents rose a staggering 92.3 per cent.

‘Competition for pockets of vacant space in the central business district (CBD) remained intense, and several expansion transactions towards the end of the (fourth) quarter suggested that demand may be sustained,’ CBRE said.

In response to the report, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) pointed out that CBRE represents just one viewpoint.

A recent Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) report, for example, said that office occupancy cost for prime office space in Singapore was US$10.80 psf pm in end-2007, much lower than the US$19.90 psf pm in Hong Kong.

The discrepancy between the two sets of data was due to the fact that CBRE considers office space in Hong Kong’s CBD as well as other areas outside the city centre when compiling office occupancy cost data for Hong Kong – while C&W only considers Hong Kong’s CBD.

Both firms look only at Singapore’s CBD when calculating occupancy cost here.

Separately, property firm Savills – which said that office rents in Singapore are close to Hong Kong’s at present – predicted that rents here could increase by another 15-20 per cent this year.

Office rents in Hong Kong, on the other hand, are expected to rise by a slower 5 per cent in 2008, said Simon Smith, Savills’ head of research and consultancy. He expected rents in Singapore to overtake rents in Hong Kong sometime this year.

Mr Smith also said that luxury home prices in Singapore will climb 8-12 per cent this year, after jumping about 50 per cent in 2007.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

Tanjong Pagar hotel site may fetch $750 psf ppr

CONTINUING its rollout of hotel sites amid the current shortage of hotel rooms, the Urban Redevelopment Authority yesterday made available for application a reserve-list site in the Tanjong Pagar area.

The 99-year leasehold site, at the corner of Gopeng Street and Peck Seah Street, can be developed into a 30-storey hotel with about 330 hotel rooms.

The site will only be launched for tender upon successful application by a developer with an undertaking to bid at a minimum price which is acceptable to the state.

CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho estimates that the plot could be worth about $700-750 per square foot of potential gross floor area.

Around the middle of last year, URA sold nearby hotel sites at Tanjong Pagar Road for $573 psf per plot ratio and $562 psf ppr.

The planning authority also awarded a hotel plot at Upper Pickering Street at $805 psf ppr and another plot at New Market Street/Merchant Road for $762 psf ppr in October 2007.

The latest plot, with a 2,311.3 square metre land area, has an 8.4 plot ratio (ratio of maximum potential gross floor area to land area) and a 30-storey height limit.

‘The plot will be ideal for a four-star business hotel serving the needs of businesses in the Central Business District,’ Mr Li said.

URA said that the Tanjong Pagar area was a ‘prominent gateway leading directly into the main financial and business areas of Shenton Way, Raffles Place and Marina Bay’.

‘It is also home to several hotels which have been established to serve the business community and tourist visitors. These include business hotels like the Amara and M Hotel, as well as award-winning hotels like Berjaya Hotel and The Scarlet.’

The planning authority, which is due to release Master Plan 2008 later this year, also noted that ‘the successful sale and on-going development of several new office, high-rise residential and hotel sites in the area will further enhance the vibrancy and activities of the Tanjong Pagar commercial district’.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

2 good class bungalows on Leedon Road up for sale

A PAIR of recently completed Good Class Bungalows at 37 and 39 Leedon Road are being launched by their developer George Lim. His asking price is about $35 million for each bungalow. The plots’ land areas are 22,000 square feet and 21,000 sq ft respectively.

Each five-bedroom, two-storey freehold house has a basement garage for up to five vehicles.

The exteriors are clad in natural sandstone, while inside there is AMX movie-on-demand hardware.

Mr Lim launched his maiden project in 2005 with three Good Class Bungalows built on a 50,000 sq ft site in the Belmont area.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

Maybank’s home loan promotion creates a buzz

Other banks won’t get into price war, says OCBC’s chief executive

(SINGAPORE) Maybank’s promotional home loan package has apparently drawn massive interest from new home buyers and home owners looking to refinance.

But at least one bank here has come out to say that this is unlikely to spark a mortgage price war in Singapore.

Maybank told BT that since the launch on Tuesday till end of Wednesday, the bank had received more than 1,500 inquiries at its call centre and branches. ‘We have received close to 200 applications just for one and a half days,’ said Helen Neo, head, consumer banking, Maybank Singapore.

She added that there is an equal split of applications for refinancing and new purchases and most of the applications are for private property home loans.

However, she said the promotion is not likely to be extended.

The low rates apply to those taking a loan amount of $300,000 and above and for owner-occupied properties.

On Tuesday, the Qualifying Full Bank slashed its three-year fixed home loan rates from 3.58 per cent for all three years to 1.68 per cent for the first year, 2.68 per cent for the second and 3.38 per cent for the third year. Maybank’s new first-year interest rate is about 40 per cent lower than similar packages being offered in the market.

‘We expect this promotional package to bring in new home loan customers. With this very attractive package, we do expect to meet the target we set,’ said Ms Neo.

In response to Maybank’s mortgage rate cut – which he referred to as a ‘fire sale’ – David Conner, OCBC Bank’s chief executive, said banks are unlikely to be dragged into undercutting each other on rates.

‘We’re not likely to see a big price war with the mortgage portfolio,’ said Mr Conner at yesterday’s OCBC results briefing. ‘We should see pricing firming and not deteriorating.’

He noted that most big multinational banks are strapped for capital and that credit spreads are rapidly rising. ‘We have to be more careful with our pricing,’ he said, adding that Singapore still remains one of the cheapest places to get a mortgage.

He noted that Singapore’s interest rates are low today because the strengthening of the Singapore dollar – designed to stave off inflationary pressure – has attracted liquidity into the market.

He said the strengthening of the currency should slow down in the second half of the year, and liquidity will ebb as people move to other foreign currencies. This will bring down interest rates.

He added: ‘Banks do better if interest rates are in the 3, 4 or 5 per cent range.’

DBS Bank had earlier said it has ‘no plans to adjust rates’ for now, while United Overseas Bank and HSBC both said they would monitor the situation before making a decision.

Citibank and Standard Chartered shied away from saying if they will review rates, but pointed to their Sibor packages, which they say give customers control in repricing loan packages.

Meanwhile, banking industry insiders said that fundamentals of the property market are still there, and that even with talk of the industry demand softening there was no panic selling.

They added that valuations for home prices have not come down and that there is still buying activity among the middle markets.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

$6.4b Budget surplus poser: Was GST hike needed last year?

The question may be visited during the Budget debate

(SINGAPORE) The $6.4 billion bumper Budget surplus racked up in FY2007 has begged the question – was there a need to raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) by two percentage points last July, if at all?

The issue has surfaced in Budget talk public and private this week, and will likely be touched on in Parliament when it convenes next week for the Budget debate. Given the surprise haul – against a $0.7 billion deficit originally projected – and the usual misgivings the public would have about any tax increase, it’s a question to be expected.

While the buoyant economy and runaway property market last year did cue, by recent weeks, expectations of a Budget bounty, the $6.4 billion surplus still exceeded analysts’ projections by at least $1 billion.

From another perspective, though, the latest surplus amounts to less than 3 per cent of GDP, and is – in absolute terms and relative to GDP – nowhere near the highs notched up during Singapore’s track record of straight strong surpluses in the 1990s.

Still, the question remains – was it necessary to hike the GST rate to 7 per cent last July amid then ‘boom-time’ conditions? Could not government spending on various social and infrastructure programmes be funded from operating inflows and reserves?

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong explained the backdrop to funding government spending in a speech in Parliament in November 2006, when he first served notice of an impending GST hike to 7 per cent.

In essence: Government spending can only be partly funded by investment income from the reserves (with the nest-egg left intact to grow). The rest of the expenditure must be met by other revenue, mainly tax. And with countries slashing corporate tax rates over the years in a global race to compete for investments, Singapore cannot increase direct taxes to raise revenue. Instead, with an eye on competitiveness,

Singapore’s corporate tax rate has been progressively lowered over the years, most recently by two points to 18 per cent from Year of Assessment 2008 in the 2007 Budget.

And it could go down further – as, too, could the personal income tax rate, left untouched this year. In the latest Budget statement, the Finance Minister held out hope, saying: ‘We will reassess our options on corporate and personal income tax and lower rates further should it become necessary.’

As direct taxes get cut, indirect taxes must rise to make up for the revenue shortfall. The GST hike was part and parcel of a fiscal restructuring from direct to indirect taxation, with the impact of its hits softened, if not entirely absorbed, by a package of offsets.

Still, the question might persist: What revenue shortfall in a boom year?

Well, leaving aside its staunchly conservative stance, the government could not have foreseen the property market boom when it decided early last year on the July 2007 date for raising the GST. The market had not quite stirred, let alone exploded. At that point, the Singapore economy was expected to grow 4.5 to 6.5 per cent in 2007. But GDP growth for the year came in at 7.7 per cent.

As it turned out, the biggest boosts to the coffers in FY2007 – stamp duty and property-related revenue – were $3.4 billion above projections. But stamp duty, which amounted to $3.8 billion, did not even figure as a separate item in the revenue table of early estimates in the FY2007 Budget – it was probably lumped under ‘other taxes’.

 

Source:

$6.4b Budget surplus poser: Was GST

hike needed last year?

The question may be visited during the Budget debate

By ANNA TEO

(SINGAPORE) The $6.4 billion bumper Budget surplus racked up in

FY2007 has begged the question – was there a need to raise the Goods

and Services Tax (GST) by two percentage points last July, if at all?

The issue has surfaced in Budget talk public and private this week, and

will likely be touched on in Parliament when it convenes next week for

the Budget debate. Given the surprise haul – against a $0.7 billion deficit

originally projected – and the usual misgivings the public would have

about any tax increase, it’s a question to be expected.

While the buoyant economy and runaway property market last year did

cue, by recent weeks, expectations of a Budget bounty, the $6.4 billion

surplus still exceeded analysts’ projections by at least $1 billion.

From another perspective, though, the latest surplus amounts to less

than 3 per cent of GDP, and is – in absolute terms and relative to GDP -

nowhere near the highs notched up during Singapore’s track record of

straight strong surpluses in the 1990s.

Still, the question remains – was it necessary to hike the GST rate to 7

per cent last July amid then ‘boom-time’ conditions? Could not

government spending on various social and infrastructure programmes

be funded from operating inflows and reserves?

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong explained the backdrop to funding

government spending in a speech in Parliament in November 2006,

when he first served notice of an impending GST hike to 7 per cent.

In essence: Government spending can only be partly funded by

investment income from the reserves (with the nest-egg left intact to

grow). The rest of the expenditure must be met by other revenue, mainly

tax. And with countries slashing corporate tax rates over the years in a

global race to compete for investments, Singapore cannot increase

direct taxes to raise revenue. Instead, with an eye on competitiveness,

Story Print Friendly Page Page 1 of 2

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/storyprintfriendly/0,4582,268583,00.html? 22/2/2008

Singapore’s corporate tax rate has been progressively lowered over the

years, most recently by two points to 18 per cent from Year of

Assessment 2008 in the 2007 Budget.

And it could go down further – as, too, could the personal income tax

rate, left untouched this year. In the latest Budget statement, the

Finance Minister held out hope, saying: ‘We will reassess our options on

corporate and personal income tax and lower rates further should it

become necessary.’

As direct taxes get cut, indirect taxes must rise to make up for the

revenue shortfall. The GST hike was part and parcel of a fiscal

restructuring from direct to indirect taxation, with the impact of its hits

softened, if not entirely absorbed, by a package of offsets.

Still, the question might persist: What revenue shortfall in a boom year?

Well, leaving aside its staunchly conservative stance, the government

could not have foreseen the property market boom when it decided early

last year on the July 2007 date for raising the GST. The market had not

quite stirred, let alone exploded. At that point, the Singapore economy

was expected to grow 4.5 to 6.5 per cent in 2007. But GDP growth for

the year came in at 7.7 per cent.

As it turned out, the biggest boosts to the coffers in FY2007 – stamp duty

and property-related revenue – were $3.4 billion above projections. But

stamp duty, which amounted to $3.8 billion, did not even figure as a

separate item in the revenue table of early estimates in the FY2007

Budget – it was probably lumped under ‘other taxes’.

Singapore’s Olympic dream comes true

It wins right to host YOG 2010; SMEs poised to ride branding boom

(SINGAPORE) Shortly after 7pm yesterday, the Padang erupted. The two-horse, Moscow-versus-Singapore race to host the very first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010 had just seen Singapore breast the tape first, and everyone – from the Prime Minister to the other VIPs present to the business community and the thousands of school children – let their emotions show.

‘We dared to dream, we worked hard to pursue our dream despite the odds. Now that dream will become a reality,’ said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to the cheering crowds who had seen the announcement broadcast ‘live’ on a giant screen.

‘It will be the first time that the Olympic flame will be in South-east Asia and in Singapore. We will be the focus of a new era for sporting development for South-east Asia and Singapore,’ PM Lee added.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, can stand to benefit from the hosting of the YOG.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth, and Sports, Teo Ser Luck, emphasised that the YOG would be a platform to help local companies, possibly through second-tier sponsorship.

‘Olympics is a big brand name. The main sponsors of the Olympics are global brands. What I hope to do is to have the YOG to bring up the brand awareness of our local companies, especially the SMEs,’ he said.

The win comes after seven months of stiff competition. The initial list of 11 cities was whittled down to two before Singapore pipped Moscow thanks to its top-notch infrastructure, strong governance and security.

The next step for Singapore is to set up an organising committee, which is expected to include people from both the government and private sector. Ng Ser Miang, the International Olympic Committee member from Singapore, is expected to chair the committee.

Elim Chew, president and founder of 77th Street, who has been rallying business associates to show their support, told BT that she had been confident that Singapore would win. ‘We reflect what Olympism is about – youth, spirit and community. The whole nation played a part. In the last one month, the atmosphere really built up,’ she said, adding that the economy would reap rewards. ‘It is important to build up Singapore businesses as it goes back to the economy.’

In recent months, over 700 companies have come forward to back Singapore with whole-hearted support and raise awareness through banners, videos, websites and car decals.

The YOG, which will be held in August 2010, is expected to welcome some 5,000 athletes and officials and will offer contests in 26 different sports.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

Japan’s exports improve despite US slowdown

Rising import costs due to surging oil, gas prices cause big trade deficit in Jan

IN TOKYO

FACED with slowing demand in the US market, Japan’s exports still managed to improve last month on the back of solid sales to other parts of Asia and to Europe.

But surging oil and natural gas prices pushed the country’s import costs up sharply in January, resulting in an unexpectedly large trade deficit for the month.

The slowdown in the US economy in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage crisis has aroused fears that Japanese exports could take a bad knock, inflicting damage on the economy or even pushing it into recession.

But so far, global demand for Japanese motor vehicles, electronics and other key exports is holding up quite well, data published yesterday showed.

While exports to the US market fell by 3.2 per cent in January, marking their fifth consecutive monthly decline, those to China (which is now Japan’s leading export destination) rose by 4.6 per cent, and the net result was that overall exports for the month rose by 7.7 per cent to 6.41 trillion yen (S$83.6 billion).

But imports jumped by 9 per cent for January to 6.49 trillion yen as oil and natural gas prices surged.

The result was that Japan suffered a near-80 billion yen trade deficit – its biggest in two years.

Economists had predicted a 35 billion yen trade surplus for the month, and some warned that with fuel costs still rising Japan could suffer even larger deficits from now on.

Another reason for caution about the trade picture is that while exports to China are still robust and growing, the rate of growth is slowing, analysts said.

While sales of Japanese motor vehicles to China remain strong, demand for Japanese electronic products in China is weakening, yesterday’s data showed.

The relatively strong trade picture in January came after data last week showed that Japan’s economy expanded at a much more rapid rate than expected 3.2 per cent on an annual basis during the final quarter of last year.

Even so, economists say that the real test of the resilience of the economy will come in the first half of this year as the full impact of the sub-prime crisis is felt by the global economy, including that of China.

 

Source: Business Times 22 Feb 08

US Fed to focus on growth with possible risk of inflation

Most other central banks put a single goal above all others: stable prices

(WASHINGTON) A nightmare scenario of rising prices and falling growth emerged on Wednesday as the US government reported that consumer prices are surging even as the beleaguered housing sector remains stuck in its worst slump in a quarter century.

The combination of inflation and faltering growth – the infamous ‘stagflation’ of the 1970s – creates a potential double bind for economic policymakers: Fight one and you risk feeding the other.

To the amazement of many analysts, however, the Federal Reserve Board signalled that it already has decided how it intends to attack that problem: By fighting the slowdown through continued interest rate cuts, while accepting the risk of higher prices.

In the minutes of its late January meetings and several conference calls released on Wednesday, central bank officials made clear that they would go for growth even if it means somewhat higher inflation.

‘In 2007, they were balancing their two objectives of price stability and sustainable economic growth,’ said Vincent Reinhart, former director of the Fed board’s division of monetary affairs. But now, said Mr Reinhart, ‘they care about growth first. They’re going to take a chance with inflation, and if you look at their projections they think they can get away with it’.

The danger is that prices will get out of hand as they did in the 1970s, and as they gave some hint of doing again in the report of January inflation.

The 0.4 per cent increase in the overall Consumer Price Index reported for last month was higher than analysts had expected. But what was most striking about the latest report was that the rises were not limited to the usual suspects, food and energy. Instead, they involved things that previously had fallen or remained stable – and thus had helped offset the recurrent food and energy increases.

Computer prices, for instance, which had tumbled 12 per cent over the past year, rose one per cent last month, said Stephen Cecchetti, former research director of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

And restaurant meals, which have been stable till now, rose at a 4.9 per cent annual rate, he said.

And some analysts said the Fed’s decision to put boosting growth ahead of curbing inflation was almost immediately reflected in some new price increases. The benchmark gold price in New York rose to US$934.60 an ounce, up US$8, as investors snapped it up as a hedge against the inflation some fear the Fed will cause.

The Fed’s new priorities, together with tight supply, could have the same effect on oil. ‘I think oil has a shot at hitting US$150 a barrel before the end of the year,’ said Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, a brokerage house. ‘This is a highly inflationary period, and we’re creating the inflation.’

Over the past month, Fed leaders repeatedly signalled that their long-standing concern about inflation was giving way to worry about growth, housing and a freeze-up of the financial markets.

And the Fed’s policymaking Federal Open Market Committee made some of the steepest interest rate cuts in the central bank’s history in January.

But until Wednesday, the Fed had not said that it thinks rates will have to be held ‘relatively low’ for an extended period, as the newly released minutes do. Nor had it acknowledged that the low rates will mean somewhat higher inflation, as the forecasts included in the minutes effectively do.

‘Several participants noted that the risks of a downturn in the economy were significant,’ said the minutes of the Fed’s conference calls on Jan 9 and Jan 21 and Jan 29-30 meeting. ‘Many participants were concerned that the drop in equity prices, coupled with the ongoing decline in house prices, implied reductions in household wealth that would likely damp consumer spending.’ Some members of the FOMC said that when the economy had improved ‘a reversal of a portion of the recent easing actions, possibly even a rapid reversal might be appropriate’, said the minutes.

Still, policymakers suggested that their interest rate cuts are not feeding inflation as the economy is so weak there’s no pressure to push up prices. Their position was hard to square with the latest report of price rises and a pick-up in the speed of those rises.

The depth of the economic quandary in which the country and the Fed find themselves, and risk that policymakers are running in pursuing the strategy they have chosen is clearest when contrasted with that of other central banks. Most of the world’s central banks put a single goal above all others – stable prices.

‘The Fed is inverting that,’ Mr Reinhart said. ‘They’re putting growth first.’ Supporting the Fed’s slow-growth outlook, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday that housing construction puttered along at a 1.012 million home rate in January. That was a pick-up of 0.8 per cent from December’s pace. But analysts wrote off the improvement as a fluke.

Fed policymakers predicted that anaemic growth will nudge up the unemployment rate from its current 5 per cent to between 5.2 per cent and 5.3 per cent this year. That was up from their previous prediction of 4.8 per cent to 4.9 per cent.

Most strikingly, they forecast that the combination of their own growth-spurring interest rate cuts and other forces at work in the economy will cause inflation to rise faster than they had predicted previously. Using their favoured way of measuring inflation, they predicted an overall increase in prices of between 2.1 per cent and 2.4 per cent, higher than their previous prediction of 1.8 per cent to 2.1 per cent, and higher too than what was widely thought to be the outer limit of their comfort zone with inflation of 2 per cent.

Within the CPI, the so-called core inflation rate – excluding food and energy – was up 2.5 per cent for the 12 months ended Jan. 31.

 

Source: LAT-WP (Business Times 22 Feb 08)

US growth forecast cut but S’pore economists unperturbed

Outlook for Republic has already factored in a more severe slowdown for US

THE Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its forecast for United States economic growth, but the move left American investors and economists in Singapore unfazed.

The US central bank now expects the world’s biggest economy to expand between 1.3 per cent and 2 per cent this year, down from a previous prediction of 1.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

The Fed’s weaker outlook ironically sent Wall Street stocks up as investors read the downgrade to mean that more interest rate cuts were on the way.

In Singapore, economists say a slower US economy is bad news for exporters. They add, however, that forecasts for the local economy, including that of the Singapore Government’s, have already factored in a more severe US slowdown.

‘People are already factoring in the worst for the US,’ said Mr Joseph Tan, a Fortis Bank currency strategist based in Singapore. ‘That worst-case scenario has been factored in and priced in.’

The Trade and Industry Ministry trimmed its Singapore growth forecast on Feb 14 to 4 per cent to 6 per cent. It said even if the US is stuck in a long and deep recession, the local economy should at least achieve the lower end of its forecast range.

Wednesday’s forecast was the Fed’s second downward revision since last November, when it cut its US growth estimate for this year by 0.75 percentage point.

It said the latest revision was due to a number of factors, including a worsening housing market, tightening credit conditions, ongoing turmoil in financial markets and high oil prices.

With growth slowing more severely, the Fed now expects the unemployment rate to increase further to between 5.2 per cent and 5.3 per cent, up from its old forecast of 4.9 per cent.

The Fed’s latest forecast was published with the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee’s Jan 29 to 30 meeting, at which members trimmed 0.5 percentage point off the key federal funds interest rate to 3 per cent.

The minutes showed that several members noted that ‘the risks of a downturn in the economy were significant’.

‘With no signs of a stabilisation in the housing sector and with financial conditions not yet stabilised, the committee agreed that downside risks to growth would remain even after this action,’ the minutes said, referring to the Fed’s most recent rate cut.

These comments and the weaker outlook have raised expectations that the Fed will lower the target rate for overnight loans among banks again at its next meeting on March 18. The Fed has slashed rates by 2.25 percentage points since September, including an emergency 0.75 percentage point cut on Jan 22.

‘The Fed’s main focus will remain the weakening economy and dysfunctional credit markets,’ Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg told Agence France-Presse. ‘We continue to expect the Fed to keep cutting rates and still look for a 50-basis-point reduction in the funds rate on March 18.’

Deutsche Bank economists added that if the US slips into a recession, the benchmark rate is ‘likely to go down to 2 per cent, if not a bit less’.

But what is causing more worries is escalating inflation, which hit a two-year high last month.

The Fed on Wednesday bumped up its projection for core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices. It expects this to hit between 2 and 2.2 per cent, up from a prior forecast of 1.7 to 1.9 per cent.

The combination of rising inflation and slowing growth has led some analysts to recall the infamous 1970s spectre of ‘stagflation’.

The economic phenomenon presents policymakers with a tough dilemma: Easing interest rates will boost growth but spur inflation, while hiking rates will do just the opposite.

 

Source: The Straits Times 22 Feb 08

Quieter property market but outlook favourable in long run

THE real estate roller coaster that developers have ridden in recent years has taken a sharp turn, thanks to United States sub-prime woes, and left the industry wondering what is coming next.

‘Six months ago, we were concerned about the market exuberance,’ said Mr Simon Cheong, the president of the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (Redas), yesterday. ‘These coming six months, we will be wondering when the market will turn around.’

After an exceptional year of strong prices and sales, the sector has slipped into the doldrums, with buyers and sellers taking cover from the onslaught of a global economic uncertainty, America’s sub-prime mortgage crisis, stock market turmoil and escalating building costs.

Mr Cheong told a Redas Chinese New Year lunch: ‘Though Asia’s economy has a strong buttress – China – the temporary effect of weak sentiment from sub-primes will affect buying for at least the first half of this year.’

Sellers are also lying low, with developers delaying launches and pushing back project completion dates amid the construction squeeze.

Building costs have climbed at an ‘unprecedented rate’, added Mr Cheong, who is also chairman and chief executive of SC Global Developments. ‘What is clear is that developers are bearing the brunt of higher construction costs. Something’s got to give eventually.’

Developers will have to factor in high construction costs when they replenish their land bank, he said.

However, in the longer run, the market outlook is favourable, considering the Singapore economy’s sound fundamentals.

‘Rental yields will eventually dictate and underpin what capital values will be for property,’ said Mr Cheong.

The expected slowdown in supply will support the rental market.

Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu told the media during the lunch that the market may be quiet, but prices are firm while demand for commercial property is still resilient.

Those sentiments were echoed by consultancy Savills Singapore, which expects the office sector to stay buoyant.

Deputy managing director Simon Smith told a press conference that average prime rents should match Hong Kong’s by the second quarter and surpass them by year-end.

This is because Hong Kong will see a lot of new supply coming onstream this year while Singapore’s supply will remain tight in the short term, he said.

But higher rents in Singapore may not be enough to push businesses to Hong Kong. ‘Many clients we see switching between the cities tend to do so because of strategic reasons rather than cost reasons,’ said Mr Smith.

 

Source: The Straits Times 22 Feb 08

Development fees may jump for non-residential sites

For residential areas where strong land sales have lifted values, charges could surge

DEVELOPERS may soon have to pay more to redevelop non-residential sites such as land for hotels or hospitals.

A key government fee for redeveloping sites will be revised again next month, and property consultants expect it to be raised for land used for purposes other than to build homes.

The good news is: Development charges should not jump much for residential plots this time, after already having been jacked up a few times last year.

Selected areas, however, could still see bigger fee hikes, said consultants. These include Novena, Geylang, Ang Mo Kio and Orchard Boulevard, where recent strong land sales have pushed up values.

Development charges, which can amount to millions of dollars, are based on recent land and property values. They are calculated based on sectors and 118 locations, and adjusted in March and September every year to keep them up to date.

A rise in these charges for residential sites in some areas means that, for instance, it would be more expensive for developers to buy and redevelop collective sale estates in these parts of Singapore.

Overall, however, the current slowdown in the housing market means that the upcoming round of revisions should result in only very moderate rises for most residential sites.

Development charges for non-landed residential sites are likely to go up by only 10 per cent on average, compared to 58 per cent last September, said Ms Tay Huey Ying, the director of research and consultancy at Colliers International.

She said the soaring land prices that sent development charges surging last year have ‘screeched almost to a halt’ since last September.

In particular, the collective sale market – previously the main driver of spikes in development charges – has quietened to near-silence in the last few months.

Consultancy CB Richard Ellis also said it expects only ‘moderate increases’ in selected locations. These include Sixth Avenue and Sentosa for landed sites and Ardmore and Orchard Boulevard for non-landed sites.

It suggested that the Government may also slow the rate of rises in development fees after taking into consideration the ‘subdued state’ of the residential market. The once-frenzied response to both development sites and new home launches has waned significantly.

On the other hand, non-residential sites – including hospital, hotel, office and industrial land – are still seeing buoyant activity and could be subject to heftier fee hikes.

Hospital land could see the biggest overall hike in charges, boosted by the recent record bid for a stateowned site at Novena, said Colliers’ Ms Tay. She is projecting a rise of between 15 per cent and 20 per cent on average for hospital sites.

DTZ Debenham Tie Leung added that funds have been moving their investments into hospital assets in Singapore, which could also prompt a rise in the development fees for this sector.

Also, industrial land – which saw a rise in development fees of just 2 per cent in the last round – should experience a much bigger jump, said consultants.

Office and hotel plots are also expected to have their development charges raised, by at least 30 per cent, said Jones Lang LaSalle.

Its director for South Asia research, Mr Chua Yang Liang, said the fees could be pushed up by recent office land sales at Jalan Sultan and Toa Payoh, and hotel plot sales at Upper Pickering Street and New Market Road.

 

Source: The Straits Times 22 Feb 08

DELISTING A SUBSIDIARY

CapitaLand raises Ascott stake to 91.7%

CAPITALAND is on track to delist its serviced apartment unit, The Ascott Group, after lifting its stake in the firm to 91.7 per cent.

The property giant said yesterday that once its offer expires next Tuesday, Ascott shares ‘may be suspended’ by the Singapore Exchange.

CapitaLand has stated its aim of delisting Ascott. It has said it ‘will not take any action for such trading suspension to be lifted’.

Under listing regulations, the shares of companies with less than 10 per cent of freely available shares may be suspended.

In a surprise announcement last month, CapitaLand made an offer of $1.73 per share for Ascott shares held by minority shareholders. CapitaLand, which already held 66.5 per cent of Ascott’s shares then, added that it did not intend to revise its offer, which represented a 43 per cent premium over Ascott’s then-last traded price of $1.21.

The price was a massive 145 per cent premium over Ascott’s book value of 70.6 cents, and about 17 times Ascott’s earnings in the 2007 financial year.

Just last week, independent financial advisers recommended that Ascott’s minority shareholders either take CapitaLand’s offer or try to sell the shares on the open market before the offer closed.

Ascott is the biggest operator of serviced apartments in Asia and Europe.

Source: The Straits Times 22 Feb 08

‘US has slipped into recession’

NEW YORK – THE United States economy is in a recession, albeit a mild one, as a weakening consumer sector has compounded ongoing problems in the housing and credit markets, according to UBS economists.

‘It’s not coming. It’s here,’ UBS said in a research report on Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday sharply lowered its forecast for US economic growth for this year, but it is still expecting the economy to avoid a recession. Citing a deepening housing slump and tight credit, the Fed lowered its forecast to between 1.3 per cent and 2 per cent from a range of 1.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent it had projected in November last year.

UBS economists forecast US gross domestic product to fall 0.6 percentage point from the end of last year to the middle of this year.

The projected mild contraction will be led by the first decline in personal spending since the recession of 1991, UBS said.

Last month, the US government said the economy grew at an annual rate of 0.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year and expanded 2.2 per cent for the entire year, the weakest pace in five years.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 22 Feb 08)

It’s Singapore 2010

An honour and privilege for everyone, says PM Lee; now for the countdown to the main event

THE news that Singapore waited over seven months for came at precisely 7.11pm yesterday, broadcast live via satellite link from Lausanne in Switzerland.

It was delivered by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, who simply said: ‘The IOC has the honour of announcing that the first Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010 are awarded to the city of Singapore.’

With that, more than 5,000 people who had gathered at the Padang for the announcement, as well as countless others glued to television sets across the island, threw up a resounding cheer.

At the Padang, the reactions of the ‘Ser’ tandem of Singapore’s IOC Executive Board member Ng Ser Miang and Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck, who had been instrumental in pushing the bid, reflected Singaporeans’ joy over making history.

Both men caught each other in a bear hug before jumping up and down on stage, broad grins creasing their faces.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, called on to deliver a celebratory speech, had to wait a while for the cheers to die down before saying: ‘I need hardly say how happy we all are.’

A smiling Mr Lee, with a miniature Singapore flag clutched in one hand, hailed the win as a ‘great honour and privilege for Singapore and every Singaporean’.

‘For the first time, the Olympics flame will be in South-east Asia, and in Singapore,’ he said. ‘We will be the focus of a new era of sports development for Singapore, for South-east Asia, and for the Olympic movement.’

He praised the national effort to land the Games – both young and old, from schoolchildren to taxi drivers, were involved, including one 68-year-old cabby who wrote letters to all IOC members telling them why Singapore deserved to be host.

As the PM ended his speech, the party fired up anew. It had begun at 4pm but quietened as tensions rose with the clock ticking closer to the magic hour of 7pm.

Amid a backdrop of a City Hall bathed in yellow, purple and red lights, revellers began dancing, singing and hugging each other, flashing the ‘V for Victory’ symbol.

Ms Cindy Chin, 20, a Singapore Management University undergraduate, summed up the feelings of the assembled throng when she said: ‘This is a historic moment. Some of us are having our exams tomorrow, including me, but this is more important. I wanted to let everyone see that Singapore deserves to host the games.’

The contest to play host had come down to Singapore or Moscow. According to the Associated Press, IOC members voted 53-44 in the Republic’s favour.

What clinched it was its innovative Games concept, which included a compact venue plan and a comprehensive Olympic education programme.

Speaking in Lausanne, Mr Rogge also said he thought the prevailing sentiment among IOC members was that the event should go to a ‘new city that has not organised a Games’.

He added: ‘Singapore has put together a very exciting project.’

Expressing confidence in the Singapore team, he added: ‘I have no doubt that their professionalism and enthusiasm will be instrumental in the staging of a successful Youth Olympic Games.’

Yesterday’s announcement culminated in a sensational turnaround for a bid that started slowly nine months ago.

Singaporeans were initially tepid about the bid, but galvanised around it when the country emerged as a frontrunner.

The win caps a series of sporting coups for Singapore: It will stage the world’s first Formula One night race in September, as well as be a stopover port for the Volvo Ocean Race in January next year.

Now, as Mr Lee said last night, the countdown to the Games’ opening on Aug 14, 2010 begins. ‘We have 21/2 years to prepare for the Youth Olympic Games. It’s going to be challenging, but it’s going to be full of excitement and achievements.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 22 Feb 08

Mass-market safe, high-end may take a hit

Property players sketch the best and worst-case scenarios for private homes in 2008

(SINGAPORE) Luxury-home prices could fall by up to 20 per cent in 2008, assuming sub-prime woes don’t end this year. But the mass market may hold its own or ease 5-10 per cent at most. This was the worst-case scenario according to most property players polled by BT.

In a best-case scenario with sub-prime woes clearing by mid-year, high-end prices could rise up to 10 per cent and mass-market homes as much as 15-20 per cent, the majority of respondents said.

The most optimistic is Jones Lang LaSalle Research, which forecasts an 18-22 per cent increase in luxury/prime prices and a 20-25 per cent gain in mass-market prices in a best-case scenario.

Sales activity is generally expected to be quiet in the first half, before picking up in the second half. ‘Interest is still very much there, but investors see no strong push factor to get into the market just yet,’ says DTZ executive director Ong Choon Fah.

Most developers and property consultants are hoping the sub-prime-related gloom will vanish in the second half. Voicing a common view in the industry, City Developments group general manager Chia Ngiang Hong said: ‘We expect the situation to improve after mid-year. Most of the high-profile sub-prime-related writedowns by major international financial institutions are already out. Hopefully, the rest of the write-downs, if any, should be out by March/April. This current period is good for consolidation.’

UOL Group chief operating officer Liam Wee Sin said: ‘If the sub-prime episode is short-lived, it can be seen as a welcome breather for the Singapore property market.

Both home and land prices in the high-end segment escalated too quickly, especially in Q2 and Q3 last year.’

But Wing Tai deputy chairman Edmund Cheng feels it may not be realistic to expect sub-prime problems to fade away by mid-year. ‘They are likely to linger beyond this year, as the exposure has extended to many other areas, and it may still take some time for the full extent of exposure to be discovered,’ he said.

But on a more positive note, he believes mid/ upper-mid projects near Orchard Road will be more resilient ‘as they should benefit from demand for replacement properties by those who have sold prime district homes through en bloc sales, as well as demand from expats who find prime district housing too expensive’.

Agreeing, Credo Real Estate managing director Karamjit Singh thinks mid-tier private home prices will appreciate 10-15 per cent this year in a best-case scenario, outpacing his estimate of gains of 10 per cent for the suburban/mass market and 5-10 per cent for upmarket homes.

In the high-end category, many property analysts with stockbroking firms see an oversupply of potential launches as sites sold through en bloc sales are redeveloped.

In a worst-case scenario, a major factor that could hurt high-end prices is if demand dries up and ‘specu-vestors’ who bought luxury homes in the past few years offload them below current prices, as they still stand to reap huge gains given their low entry cost, reckons Knight Frank executive director Peter Ow.

In the primary market too, some smaller developers may drop prices to generate sales. But Mr Ow acknowledges that the bulk of the unlaunched high-end housing stock is in the hands of a few major players who have the financial capacity to delay launching projects. Instead, they could focus on selling their mid-tier and massmarket homes this year to generate cash flow.

Giving his take, a major developer said: ‘High-end depends on the appetite of foreign buyers and their perception of liquidity and value in the Singapore market. The strong Sing dollar will help persuade these investors that the property market here will be a good store of value.’

Observers also believe overseas funds are likely to turn increasingly to parking money in Asia, instead of the United States and Europe. Other demand drivers for the Singapore residential sector, especially in the mid and mass segments, include falling mortgage rates, the continued influx of expats from China and India setting up home here, and wage growth arising from the tight labour market.

Most market watchers say the upside for high-end residential prices will be limited even if the sub-prime problem clears around mid-2008.

‘Price increases would not so much apply to luxury-class homes as these have already increased significantly since 2005,’ CB Richard Ellis managing director Pauline Goh argues.

However, mid-tier homes could appreciate 5-10 per cent and mass-market prices 10-15 per cent this year, assuming things become more positive after June, Ms Goh added.

Frasers Centrepoint CEO Lim Ee Seng said: ‘Even in a worst-case scenario, I don’t really see mass-market home prices coming down much because construction costs are still going up and that raises the breakeven cost of such projects.’

Knight Frank’s Mr Ow says the mass-market will benefit from strong demand from HDB upgraders, given the shortage of HDB homes.

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

Plan to defer public works will have little impact: report

Delaying $3b worth of projects won’t help relieve building demand, says RLB

CONSTRUCTION industry experts are seeking to play down the significance of the government’s moves to ease the pressure on the industry’s costs.

The government is intending to defer an additional $1 billion worth of public-sector projects to help the industry – a move that follows the decision last November to postpone $2 billion worth of projects.

A report by construction cost consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) said that the deferring of public-sector projects ‘is expected to have a limited impact on relieving construction demand as it will represent around 10 per cent of annual demand’.

Latest estimates by the Building and Construction Authority value construction contracts awarded this year at up to $27 billion.

RLB’s latest figures for its tender price index shows that it also increased by 23 per cent as at the end of the third quarter last year. It said that rising construction costs are attributed to increased costs of foreign construction labour and professional expertise, materials and equipment costs, as well as on- and off-site overheads.

Indicative construction costs of an office building in the CBD of up to 41-55 storeys is between $353- $438.5 psf of gross floor area (GFA).

The construction costs of a luxury condominium is between $325.2 and $441.3 psf of GFA, while a five-star hotel will cost between $464.5 and $627 psf of GFA to build.

Good quality retail space costs $311-$367 psf of GFA to build.

In terms of key construction materials, concreting sand has shown the highest year on-year increase, jumping 160.3 per cent as at November 2007. The price of granite aggregate increased by 32.1 per cent in the same period while the price of ready mix concrete increased by 71.4 per cent.

However, RLB noted that prices did generally ‘moderate to a downward trend’ for the second half of 2007, the period that coincides with the start of the US sub-prime loans crisis and the global credit crunch.

Indeed, RLB added: ‘Whilst the Singapore construction market will be somewhat buffered in the short term by existing development commitments within the domestic market, it will be difficult to predict the impact of the global financial crisis in the medium run.’

RLB does believe that on the back of rising crude oil prices and growing building activity particularly in the Middle East, China and India, price gains are anticipated for the first half of 2008.

Citing other industry sources, RLB said that world steel demand is forecast to reach over 1.45 million tonnes in 2011, which represents an 88 per cent growth in the ten years from 2001.

‘However, a slowdown in the rate of demand growth is anticipated towards the end of the current decade,’ it added.

 

Source:

Plan to defer public works will have little

impact: report

Delaying $3b worth of projects won’t help relieve building demand, says RLB

By ARTHUR SIM

CONSTRUCTION industry experts are seeking to play down the significance of the

government’s moves to ease the pressure on the industry’s costs.

The government is intending to defer an additional $1 billion worth of public-sector

projects to help the industry – a move that follows the decision last November to

postpone $2 billion worth of projects.

A report by construction cost consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) said that the

deferring of public-sector projects ‘is expected to have a limited impact on relieving

construction demand as it will represent around 10 per cent of annual demand’.

Latest estimates by the Building and Construction Authority value construction

contracts awarded this year at up to $27 billion.

RLB’s latest figures for its tender price index shows that it also increased by 23 per

cent as at the end of the third quarter last year. It said that rising construction costs

are attributed to increased costs of foreign construction labour and professional

expertise, materials and equipment costs, as well as on- and off-site overheads.

Indicative construction costs of an office building in the CBD of up to 41-55 storeys is

between $353- $438.5 psf of gross floor area (GFA).

The construction costs of a luxury condominium is between $325.2 and $441.3 psf of

GFA, while a five-star hotel will cost between $464.5 and $627 psf of GFA to build.

Good quality retail space costs $311-$367 psf of GFA to build.

In terms of key construction materials, concreting sand has shown the highest yearon-

year increase, jumping 160.3 per cent as at November 2007. The price of granite

aggregate increased by 32.1 per cent in the same period while the price of ready mix

concrete increased by 71.4 per cent.

However, RLB noted that prices did generally ‘moderate to a downward trend’ for the

second half of 2007, the period that coincides with the start of the US sub-prime

loans crisis and the global credit crunch.

Indeed, RLB added: ‘Whilst the Singapore construction market will be somewhat

buffered in the short term by existing development commitments within the domestic

market, it will be difficult to predict the impact of the global financial crisis in the

medium run.’

Story Print Friendly Page Page 1 of 2

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/storyprintfriendly/0,4582,268492,00.html? 21/2/2008

RLB does believe that on the back of rising crude oil prices and growing building

activity particularly in the Middle East, China and India, price gains are anticipated

for the first half of 2008.

Citing other industry sources, RLB said that world steel demand is forecast to reach

over 1.45 million tonnes in 2011, which represents an 88 per cent growth in the ten

years from 2001.

‘However, a slowdown in the rate of demand growth is anticipated towards the end of

the current decade,’ it added.

Recent crises serve as wake-up calls

Focus on corporate governance; S’pore updating Companies Act: Lim Hwee Hua

(SINGAPORE) Think of the huge fraudulent trading losses at Societe Generale. Or think of the sub-prime mortgage fallout. The recent crises that have rocked the financial sector have also brought corporate governance under the spotlight, Minister of State for Finance and Transport Lim Hwee Hua said yesterday.

The perceived tardiness by major financial institutions in coming clean over their sub-prime exposure has led to unhappiness among investors and stakeholders, she noted. Revelations on how a rogue trader at SocGen racked up nearly US$7 billion of losses also raised questions over the robustness of internal controls, board supervision and oversight of risks.

‘Inadvertently, with financial crises of such magnitude, there will be renewed calls to strengthen and tighten corporate governance practices,’ Mrs Lim said. She was speaking last night at the Singapore Corporate Awards.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now looking at tightening disclosure practices, particularly in strengthening the relationship between a company’s risk officers, the disclosure committee and the audit committee.

Singapore is not immune to financial scandals either, she added, pointing to the commercial fraud by an ex-finance manager of Asia Pacific Breweries and the allegedly unauthorised foreign exchange trading at SembCorp Marine.

As part of its continuing efforts to improve corporate governance practices among companies, the Ministry of Finance has convened an 11-member strong Steering Committee to review the Companies Act.

The Steering Committee is chaired by the Solicitor General, Professor Walter Woon, and the aim of the review is to retain an efficient and transparent corporate regulatory framework that supports Singapore’s growth as a global hub for both businesses and investors.

The committee will update the law to keep pace with relevant international legal developments and technological advances, promote greater accountability and transparency while keeping the compliance cost low.

It will be assisted by five working groups to study distinct segments of the Companies Act. The previous fundamental review of the Companies Act was done in 1999.

But Mrs Lim also noted that a robust company law framework can be an unwieldy and blunt tool and should only be used sparingly. A code of best practices will provide firms ‘the flexibility to put in place the rules and systems that are most appropriate to their context.’

To this end, the Audit Committee Guidance Committee, a joint effort of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and SGX, was set up to look at providing practical guidance to audit committee members.

In addition, Mrs Lim recommended the use of rewards and recognition to laud companies for adopting good corporate governance practices and going beyond best practices.

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

$200m note issue from HDB

THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched a $200 million, two year fixed-rate note issue yesterday under its $7 billion medium-term note programme.

The issue will have a coupon of 1.64 per cent per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears, HDB said.

The notes will be issued in denominations of $250,000 and will be offered to investors by way of placement. Application is being made to list the notes on the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

The lead manager is Citicorp Investment Bank (Singapore).

Last Friday, HDB launched a $300 million, 15-year fixed-rate note issue with a coupon of 3.63 per cent per annum, also payable semi-annually in arrears.

Under the programme, HDB issues bonds or notes to finance its development programme and working capital requirements, as well as to refinance existing housing development loans.

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

India’s Primary Real Estate plans US$500m fund

(HONG KONG) Indian fund manager Primary Real Estate Advisors is planning to launch a fund worth as much as US$500 million, probably in the second half of this year, but said it will tread carefully as the country’s property boom stutters.

Foreign investors have taken advantage of such funds to rush into property development in India since it eased rules on inward investment in the construction industry in early 2005, sparking rampant land speculation and a near quadrupling in prices.

But despite signs of a slowdown – home sales volumes have fallen by one-fifth in Mumbai and 40 per cent in Bangalore in the last year – the head of Primary Real Estate, Ashwin Ramesh, is convinced that North American and European investors will invest.

‘There are certainly cowboys out there,’ Mr Ramesh said. ‘But our style is more focused for a risk averse environment. We would typically underperform in a raging bull market but overperform in a flattish market.’

Mr Ramesh expected to launch the new fund within six months to a year, and hoped to raise between US$300 million and US$500 million.

‘At the moment there’s interest in North America and London, but we’re in touch with people all over the place,’ he said, adding that he was busy expanding a team that is now investing a US$32 million fund closed in mid- 2007.

Primary Real Estate would aim for internal rates of return of 15-20 per cent, Mr Ramesh said, below the usual 20-25 per cent often advertised by funds in Asia’s up-and-coming property markets of India, China and Vietnam.

Rival India-based funds include Trikona Capital and Kotak Mahindra Investments, while Citigroup Property Investors and Morgan Stanley Real Estate have been at the forefront of a wave of global funds entering the country.

The demographic fundamentals for India’s real estate boom touted by analysts appear compelling for many investors.

But developers have crammed projects into a few cities and certain building types, Mr Ramesh said.

Primary Real Estate, which will team up with developers – ‘high-quality people, that’s our first filter’, Mr Ramesh says – has identified a big township project outside Mumbai and will seek out projects in emerging cities.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 21 Feb 08)

Budget 2008: Businesses highlight what’s ‘wanting’

Panelists cite lack of measures to cut business costs, tackle manpower crunch

IT’S not just relief from rising costs that businesses find wanting in the 2008 Budget.

They could also do with help to tackle a growing manpower crunch, a Budget seminar heard yesterday.

Panelists at PricewaterhouseCooper’s seminar on the Singapore Budget cited the lack of specific measures to address the immediate problems that businesses face, and the absence of any ‘green’ initiatives, among its shortcomings.

Entrepreneur and Member of Parliament Inderjit Singh – who intends to raise the issue in Parliament during the coming Budget debate – said the government may, in response, say that Singapore’s business costs are still below Hong Kong’s, among other things.

But the issue is not so much absolute costs but more the rate of cost increases, he said. There was scope in particular for the Budget to address rising rental and manpower costs, he added.

And scope to help employers overcome a shortage of people, in the view of Philip Overmyer, chief executive of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce.

From petrochemicals to the two integrated resorts, various sectors of the economy face problems in securing trained staff, Mr Overmyer noted.

‘And there’s nothing in this Budget that looks at this,’ he said.

Overall, the nitty-gritty of the Budget, in terms of incentives for specific industries, is good, Mr Overmyer said.

But the longer-term strategic focus – to promote innovation across the economy – appears to emphasise certain higher-end high-tech industries that lend themselves more to research and development (R&D) work. The activities that qualify for the tax perks are not quite the areas that ‘many, many small and some large companies’ delve in. Hence, some of the simpler, ‘non-fancy’ yet still important industries may be overlooked, Mr Overmyer said.

BT associate editor Vikram Khanna, another member of the panel, pointed out that R&D in Singapore is largely driven by multinational corporations. It remains to be seen if the latest tax incentives will trigger an R&D drive across industry – and particularly if small and medium-sized enterprises will ‘bite’.

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

Budget 2008: Businesses highlight what’s ‘wanting’

Panelists cite lack of measures to cut business costs, tackle manpower crunch

IT’S not just relief from rising costs that businesses find wanting in the 2008 Budget.

They could also do with help to tackle a growing manpower crunch, a Budget seminar heard yesterday.

Panelists at PricewaterhouseCooper’s seminar on the Singapore Budget cited the lack of specific measures to address the immediate problems that businesses face, and the absence of any ‘green’ initiatives, among its shortcomings.

Entrepreneur and Member of Parliament Inderjit Singh – who intends to raise the issue in Parliament during the coming Budget debate – said the government may, in response, say that Singapore’s business costs are still below Hong Kong’s, among other things.

But the issue is not so much absolute costs but more the rate of cost increases, he said. There was scope in particular for the Budget to address rising rental and manpower costs, he added.

And scope to help employers overcome a shortage of people, in the view of Philip Overmyer, chief executive of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce.

From petrochemicals to the two integrated resorts, various sectors of the economy face problems in securing trained staff, Mr Overmyer noted.

‘And there’s nothing in this Budget that looks at this,’ he said.

Overall, the nitty-gritty of the Budget, in terms of incentives for specific industries, is good, Mr Overmyer said.

But the longer-term strategic focus – to promote innovation across the economy – appears to emphasise certain higher-end high-tech industries that lend themselves more to research and development (R&D) work. The activities that qualify for the tax perks are not quite the areas that ‘many, many small and some large companies’ delve in. Hence, some of the simpler, ‘non-fancy’ yet still important industries may be overlooked, Mr Overmyer said.

BT associate editor Vikram Khanna, another member of the panel, pointed out that R&D in Singapore is largely driven by multinational corporations. It remains to be seen if the latest tax incentives will trigger an R&D drive across industry – and particularly if small and medium-sized enterprises will ‘bite’.

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

US commercial property prices slip 1.5% in Dec

(LOS ANGELES) Commercial real estate prices in the United States dropped 1.5 per cent in December, the second consecutive monthly decline, indicating that the market is at the start of a slump, Moody’s Investors Service Inc said.

The 1.5 per cent fall measured by the Moody’s/REAL Commercial Property Price Indices is worse than the 0.2 per cent drop in November, New York-based Moody’s said on Tuesdayday in a report. It was the fourth-largest month-on month drop in the 84-month history of the indexes, the credit-rating company said.

The commercial property market has been hurt by a decline in credit availability, making it costlier to buy real estate. While the number and total value of sales tracked by the indexes in December were above average for the last two years, it was the third price decline in the past four months, Moody’s said.

‘The jump in volume in December of 2007 is likely to be atypical before a softer pace sets in,’ analysts led by Moody’s senior vice-president Sally Gordon said in the report. In December, transactions tracked by Moody’s totalled US$7.1 billion. ‘Some borrowers and/or lenders are eager to close before year-end for one or another financial reason,’ it said.

The Moody’s indexes are based on the repeat sales of the same apartment, industrial, office and retail properties across the US at different points in time.

Moody’s tracked 352 transactions in December. 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 21 Feb 08)

LATEST US DATA: US inflation gathering steam

Core readings above market forecasts; more grim news on the property front

(NEW YORK) US inflation accelerated in January in a worrying sign for the Federal Reserve’s campaign to bolster the flagging economy, while a separate report yesterday showed more troubling signs for the beleaguered housing market.

Annual consumer price inflation increased to an unexpectedly strong 4.3 per cent in January from an already elevated rate of 4.1 per cent in December, according to the Labor Department.

On a monthly basis, rising food costs helped push consumer prices up for a second straight month in January by 0.4 per cent, more than offsetting a moderation in energy price rises.

Excluding volatile food and energy items, growth in core consumer prices accelerated to 2.5 per cent from 2.4 per cent in December, a level that is likely to make Fed policy-makers uncomfortable.

The bad news on inflation was coupled with more grim news from the housing market, with permits to break ground on new US homes in January decreasing 3 per cent to the lowest rate in more than 16 years.

With the housing market’s problems now well publicised, financial markets focused on the inflation, which could complicate the Fed’s efforts to shore up the economy through a continuation of aggressive interest rate cuts.

‘The concern is on the inflation side. We are seeing an elevated trend, especially in the core,’ said Kevin Flanagan, fixed income strategist for global wealth management at Morgan Stanley in Purchase, New York.

Wall Street opened lower in the wake of the unexpectedly strong consumer prices but the dollar rose. Government bonds, which usually wilt at the prospect of inflation, fell in the wake of the consumer price release.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a monthly rise of 0.3 per cent in consumer prices for an annual inflation rate of 4.2 per cent. The core readings were also above market forecasts of a 0.2 per cent increase month-on-month and 2.4 per cent year- on-year rise.

In the housing market, permits slipped to a 1.048 million annual rate, the weakest since a 984,000 rate in November 1991.

Permits are an indicator of builder confidence in future housing activity.

Starts rose to a 1.012 million annual rate, but it was only a slight rebound from the revised 1.004 million pace in December, which was the lowest pace for starts since May 1991.

In more dour housing news, US mortgage applications plunged last week, and demand hit the lowest level since the start of the year as interest rates surged, an industry group said. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications for the week ended Feb 15 fell 22.6 per cent to 822.8, the lowest level since the week ended Jan. 4.

Borrowing costs on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, excluding fees, averaged 6.09 per cent, up 0.37 percentage point from the previous week, the highest since late December.

 

Source: Reuters

Weak US$ lures foreign buyers to US property

Florida is the most popular state, accounting for 26% of all transactions

(MIAMI) Canadian retiree Sheldon Kovensky felt the lure that attracts so many foreign buyers to sunny Florida these days – falling prices for luxurious oceanfront condos that can be bought with weak US dollars.

Mr Kovensky has been scouring south Florida from Miami Beach to Palm Beach in search of a three-bedroom apartment on the sand.

Armed with a Canadian dollar that has gained 25 per cent against the greenback in the last two years, he is expecting a big bargain.

‘We’re hoping to get an apartment worth about a million (US dollars) that I can purchase for about 20 per cent less,’ he said by phone from his home in Unionville, Ontario, as he faced digging out from a snowstorm.

‘The Canadian dollar is on par and the Florida market has dropped 20 to 30 per cent, so you get a lot of bang for your buck,’ he added.

Realtors, analysts and buyers said that the strength of the Canadian dollar, the euro and other foreign currencies, on top of a falling real estate market, is making the United States an enticing place for foreigners looking to buy property.

In fact, they said, the combination of the weak US dollar and the allure of Miami as a cosmopolitan, multilingual city may be helping to prop up a faltering, overbuilt condo market that had been expected to crash but has seen, to date, only a small drop in prices compared to other Florida cities.

In a study by the National Association of Realtors last year, Florida was the top destination for foreign buyers, accounting for 26 per cent of all transactions, ahead of California at 16, Texas at 10 and Arizona at 6 per cent.

More than 7 per cent of all Florida homes were sold to foreigners, the study found, and 65 per cent of realtors said that they had brokered at least one foreign deal.

Online property auction site FastHomeAuction.com in December reported a record number of foreign visitors, citing the weakness of the US dollar as a key contributor.

Jan de Vetten, a Dutch toy trader who has built a side business helping friends and business associates buy Florida homes, said that in some cases they are getting properties at half price.

‘They negotiate typically 25 to 30 per cent off the asking price and the euro is almost a dollar and a half now, so they probably have another 10 to 15 per cent in value,’ he said.

Foreign buying was also reported brisk in Arizona, New York and elsewhere.

In New York, Manhattan’s average sales price soared to a record US$1.4 million in the fourth quarter last year as foreigners pushed up demand.

In Phoenix, cash-toting Canadians are snapping up second properties, mostly high end homes on golf courses as refuges from the harsh winter, agents said. Many hail from Calgary, Canada’s oil boomtown.

‘There’s definitely some Canadian money in town,’ said Julie Goodman, a Remax agent who said that she had sold six properties and had another four families coming this month for visits. ‘They pay cash and know that cash talks.’

After the US market peaked in late 2005 and the sub-prime mortgage crisis set in, sales and prices began tumbling across Florida. The worst was felt in west coast cities like Punta Gorda, where condo sales fell 50 per cent, and Fort Myers, where the median price of an apartment fell 21 per cent in 2007.

While Miami sales fell – 39 per cent for existing single-family homes and 41 per cent for condos – median prices remained resilient before finally weakening in December 2007.

For the year, the median Miami condo price rose 6 per cent. But analysts expected a drop in coming months as thousands of new condo units come onto the market.

The weakness in the greenback, agents said, is attracting buyers to Miami from continental Europe, Scandinavia and Canada in addition to the traditional influx of cash from volatile South American countries, particularly Venezuela.

A strong pound has Britons looking outside their traditional stomping ground in Orlando, Florida, said Vani Ungapen, director of research at the Florida Association of Realtors.

‘Most of them are buying high-end homes,’ she said. ‘They are looking for a big house with a swimming pool, and you can’t buy that in London.’

Brokers said that Miami Beach’s famous South Beach district is luring Italians, French and Germans; Russians are flocking to Sunny Isles Beach to the north; Venezuelans who may be fearing socialist President Hugo Chavez are buying in Doral, to the west.

Miami broker Brigitte Benichay said that middle- class French entrepreneurs are eager to join a 30,000-strong French community in Miami and open businesses here.

‘Because of the strength of the euro, they are paying cash,’ she said. ‘Eighty per cent of the ones I meet want to pay all cash. Business is very strong.’

The Beacon Council, Miami’s business development agency, said that foreign businesses are increasingly setting up shop in the city.

The number of multinational projects it is working on has virtually doubled in five years, and those companies are bringing employees interested in buying property.

‘The economic market here is diversified. We’re not any longer dependent on one industry, like tourism, or on one region, like Latin America,’ president Frank Nero said.

Despite explosive price increases in recent years, Mr Nero said, prices can look cheap to someone from Paris or Madrid. 

‘Because of the strength of the euro, they are paying cash. Eighty per cent of the ones I meet want to pay all cash. Business is very strong.’ – Miami broker Brigitte Benichay on French buyers

 

Source: Business Times 21 Feb 08

STRONG FULL-YEAR GAINS: UOL still bullish on office rentals

OFFICE rents have been skyrocketing over the past 12 months but property group UOL Group reckons there will still be further rises to come.

The firm reported stellar full-year results yesterday. It said rents for retail space should benefit from high levels of employment, as well as strong tourist arrivals, although the pace of increase will moderate.

UOL is cautiously optimistic about the residential market and will launch three projects this year – Nassim Park Residences, Breeze by the East in the East Coast area and Green Meadows opposite Peirce Reservoir.

Its plans came with news yesterday of a 124 per cent jump in net profits to $758.9 million, on the back of a hefty revaluation gain.

The gain of $590.5 million on UOL’s investment properties boosted profit to such an extent that they exceeded revenue, which came in 18 per cent higher at $709.1 million for the 12 months to Dec 31.

Revenue from hotels was higher, due to improved numbers from hotels in Singapore, Australia and Vietnam. The inclusion of revenues from the former Negara on Claymore, now known as Pan Pacific Orchard, and subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts, also helped.

Full-year earnings per share rose from 42.72 cents to 95.38 cents, while net asset value per share rose to $4.96 per share as at Dec 31 last year from $3.97 previously. A final dividend of 10 cents a share and a special dividend of five cents apiece were declared.

 

Source: The Straits Times 21 Feb 08

CapitaLand, HPL sue eight owners of Gillman Heights

Developers claim contract breach as owners seek ruling over validity of sale

A GROUP of home owners in Gillman Heights Condominium are being sued by the estate’s buyers for alleged breach of contract.

They face legal action by CapitaLand and Hotel Properties (HPL), which have agreed to buy the sprawling 607-unit estate in Alexandra Road.

The eight owners, who together own four units, had filed an application to the High Court last Monday. They want to know if a supplementary deal to the original collective sale agreement is valid.

The developers responded yesterday, claiming the action breached the owners’ contractual obligations, which includes an undertaking not to do anything detrimental to the sale process.

However, the owners argue that they need their question about the sale deal answered by the High Court before they can be said to have assumed such contractual obligations.

Their question stems from Gillman Heights’ unusually complex sale process, which involved two collective sale agreements. The original expired on June 22 last year, and a supplementary agreement was tacked on to extend it. Most majority sellers signed both; minority owners did not sign either one.

The eight owners being sued said they, and some others, signed the first deal but not the supplementary one.

They say they are caught in a unique position between the majority and minority owners. The group also claims that some of the signatures on the supplementary agreement came in after the deadline. If these tardy signings were excluded, the second agreement may not reach the required 80 per cent owners’ consent.

‘All they want is a judge to decide whether there was a valid extension or not, and if not, what are the consequences,’ said lawyer N.Sreenivasan of Straits Law, which is representing the eight owners.

‘Collective sales are in fact a form of compulsory acquisition, and even those who have signed the collective sale agreement have only agreed to tie themselves up for a fixed period of time.’

Mr Pang Tee Lian and his wife are among the eight owners facing legal action. Mr Pang, 59, said yesterday: ‘We know we’re fighting someone with very deep pockets, so we’re scared. But we’re also frustrated.’

‘In my mind, a collective sale is a win-win situation, with a happy seller and happy buyer. We’re not out to make an extra buck for the fun of it,’ added Mr Pang, a general manager at an architectural firm. ‘We just don’t know where we stand: Are we the majority or minority?’

In fact, groups representing both majority and minority owners have also clashed with CapitaLand and HPL, which last year agreed to pay $548 million for Gillman Heights.

At least one unhappy majority seller circulated letters among his neighbours earlier this year calling for a concerted action to invalidate the sale. CapitaLand

responded with a series of legal letters threatening to sue for breach of contract.

In the meantime, the condo’s minority owners want the High Court to overturn the sale, which got the go-ahead in December from the Strata Titles Board, the body that governs collective sales.

Their appeal hearing will take place next Monday.

This series of legal clashes is fast becoming an eerie echo of the prolonged tussle over the collective sale of Horizon Towers in Leonie Hill.

That struggle started last May after some majority owners tried to back out of the deal. They were subsequently sued by the buyers – which incidentally include HPL – while minority owners are now appealing against the sale.

Property row

‘We know we’re fighting someone with very deep pockets, so we’re scared. But we’re also frustrated…We just don’t know where we stand: Are we the majority or minority?’

MR PANG, explaining why he and seven other home owners filed the application to the High Court

‘Any extension must be very carefully scrutinised.’

MR N.SREENIVASAN of Straits Law, which is representing the home owners

Source: The Straits Times 21 Feb 08

US homes market weakens while consumer prices rise

WASHINGTON – PERMITS to break new ground on US homes last month dipped 3 per cent to the lowest rate in more than 16 years while housing starts rose 0.8 per cent, showing signs of more struggles ahead for the homes market.

Consumer prices in the United States also rose for a second straight month in January.

Permits slipped to a 1.048 million annual rate, the weakest showing since 984,000 in November 1991. Analysts were expecting this key indicator of builder confidence in future housing activity to drop to 1.04 million.

Housing starts rose to a 1.012 million annual rate, but it was only a slight rebound from the revised 1.004 million pace in December, which was the lowest pace for starts since May 1991.

‘Housing continues to be an area that will act as a drag on the economy going forward, so no surprises there,’ said Mr Kevin Flanagan, fixed income strategist for Global Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley.

Rising food costs helped push US consumer prices up for a second straight month in January, by 0.4 per cent – more than offsetting a moderation in energy price rises as inflation showed signs of gaining steam, according to a Labour Department report yesterday.

The consumer price index, (CPI) the most broadly used gauge of inflation, has climbed 4.3 per cent since January last year.

More significantly, so-called core prices, which exclude food and energy items, rose 0.3 per cent last month, the strongest monthly rise since June 2006, after gaining 0.2 per cent in December.

Analysts said the rising prices at the same time that economic growth was slowing makes it more difficult for the US central bank to keep cutting interest rates. ‘This is going to raise the flag on the inflation front, but it’s not going to take away any of the front-end action from the Fed to support growth,’ said Ms Lindsey Piegza, a market analyst with FTN Financial.

The US dollar’s value rose against other major currencies as investors bet the stronger-than-forecast CPI number meant the Federal Reserve was less likely to cut interest rates aggressively. Prices for US Treasury debt securities and stock index futures also weakened.

The Labour Department said energy prices rose 0.7 per cent last month. But food costs jumped 0.7 per cent in January after rising a scant 0.1 per cent in December.

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 21 Feb 08)

TAKING STOCK: Inflation worries hammer STI and regional bourses

NO SOONER does the market show some spark than another bout of bad news clobbers it back down again.

Yesterday, it was inflation concerns after oil rose above the US$100 a barrel mark.

Red ink flowed from the word go. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened lower and kept spiralling downwards, losing more than 78 points by the early afternoon.

Asian markets were also in a similar state of distress. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was 2.2 per cent down, while Japan’s Nikkei and broader Topix indexes sank more than 3 per cent each. Markets in South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and China were also bruised.

The STI eventually closed down 71.23 points, or 2.3 per cent, at 3,026.83 – an unwelcome gloomy ending after five positive finishes in six trading days.

Volume was low – just 1.59 billion shares worth $1.88 billion changed hands.

‘Investors were discouraged by the early fall and wanted to play safe and stand by the sidelines to watch the show,’ said a dealer.

Telco SingTel led the market’s plunge, falling 14 cents to $3.78 and bringing the index down by a whopping 13.3 points in the process.

Morgan Stanley caused the sell-off, after it downgraded the stock from ‘overweight’ to ‘equal weight’, saying that strong competition from other mobile and broadband operators, as well as government initiatives to open up the broadband industry, pose long-term risk to earnings.

Banking stocks also weighed down the STI, dogged by news of Credit Suisse’s unexpected US$2.8 billion (S$4 billion) in sub-prime write-downs.

DBS Group Holdings was the worst hit, probably also due to profit-taking after six days of gains. It fell 46 cents to $17.90, United Overseas Bank lost 28 cents to $18, while OCBC Bank slipped seven cents to $7.45.

Among the few bright spots were oil-related plays, including Singapore Petroleum Co, up 26 cents to $6.65.

‘With the oil prices back to record highs, we could see a continued rally in offshore and marine stocks,’ a UOB Kay Hian report said yesterday, favouring Keppel Corp, ASL Marine, AusGroup, SembCorp Marine and Cosco Corp.

Source: The Straits Times 21 Feb 08

MAS fears Asia will hurt if US engine seizes

A negative spiral can take hold, affecting even the real economy

(SINGAPORE) A sharp and deep recession in the United States will hit Asian economies, warned Heng Swee Kiat, managing director, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), yesterday.

And in his first public comment on the global financial turmoil, Mr Heng said the credit crisis has now started to have an impact on the real economy.

Wading into the debate on whether Asia has de-coupled from the US, Mr Heng said the region has significant links with the world’s biggest economy through trade, investment and finance. Only if these linkages are significantly weakened can Asia be said to have de-coupled from the US, he said yesterday at a fund management conference.

Still, the short-term outlook for Asia remains generally positive barring any sharp deterioration in the global economy, he noted. The current forecast is for Asia ex-Japan to grow at a fairly healthy pace of around 7.8 per cent in 2008, one percentage point lower compared to last year.

Structural changes have taken place in Asian economies over the last 10 years, he pointed out. ‘Certainly, the fundamentals of the economies and financial markets in Asia have improved significantly since the Asian financial crisis,’ he said.

Most Asian economies have large foreign reserves and current account surpluses. There is a sizable educated and skilful labour force, and a growing middle class that forms a broad consumer base, he said.

Asian corporates and households are doing well after four years of robust growth. Asian capital markets are better developed. Asian banks are better capitalised, have less bad loans, and are better supervised and managed.

‘These are significant changes. However, a long-term or structural de-coupling of Asia from the US is possible only when the economic linkages through trade, investment and finance are significantly weaker,’ said Mr Heng.

Studies by MAS, and other economists, show that this is not the case at this stage, he pointed out.

What we are likely to see, however, is the weaker synchronisation of business cycles, he said.

‘The underlying momentum in the Asian economies will allow Asia to ride out the slowdown in the US if it is mild and short-lived. But a sharp and deep contraction will trigger the threshold where all economies will be affected, albeit in different degrees depending on their reliance on external demand,’ said Mr Heng.

On the global financial turmoil, Mr Heng said the credit crisis has now started to have an impact on the real economy.

Policy makers are facing the challenge of how to contain the spread of the credit crisis to the real economy, he noted.

‘What is striking is that the securitisation of loans was meant to be a mechanism for risk transfer. Instead, it became a channel through which shocks are amplified and transmitted throughout the system in unpredictable ways. These shocks have now started to have an impact on the real economy,’ he said.

In the US, the housing-sector correction is leading the slowdown in the economy. Consumer spending is constrained by high debt levels. Financial institutions have sustained large losses. And this is driving the turn of the credit cycle, which means restraint on both consumer spending and corporate investments.

Indeed, at this point there is a risk of being caught in a negative spiral involving tighter credit standards, reduced credit availability and slowing down of the macro economy.

‘The extent to which this spiral takes hold determines the extent of the US slowdown, and the extent to which the rest of the world will be affected,’ said Mr Heng.

‘Hence, the immediate challenge for policy makers is to contain the spread of the credit crisis to the real economy, to prevent this spiral.’

The full extent of the exposures is not yet known and central banks face different degrees of slowdown and inflationary pressures in their economies, he explained.

According to Mr Heng, a multi-pronged approach coordinated across jurisdictions, where necessary, was needed to tackle these challenges. ‘The situation is fluid, and we need to remain vigilant.’

 

Source: Business Times 20 Feb 08

Only one way to go for yuan – up, say analysts

Rapid economic growth, soaring inflation leave China with no choice

(BEIJING) China has no choice other than to let the yuan appreciate against the dollar, analysts say.

The combination of the world’s fastest economic growth, the highest inflation rate in 11 years and the rising cost of intervention will force gains in the yuan to accelerate, even as policymakers in Beijing resist calls from the West to let the currency appreciate at a faster pace, say Pacific Investment Management Co and Pictet & Cie, Switzerland’s largest closely held private bank.

The yuan rose for a fourth straight session yesterday to close at 7.1580 versus the dollar after hitting an intraday high of 7.1534, the highest since its July 2005 revaluation. Before the market opened, the central bank fixed the yuan’s mid-point at 7.1574, up from Monday’s 7.1667.

Central bankers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines are in the same situation, making their currencies attractive, according to money managers at the two firms and Merrill Lynch & Co. Nine of the 10 best performing currencies against the dollar in 2008 will come from Asia, surveys of foreign exchange strategists by Bloomberg show.

‘You’re likely to see less intervention,’ said Ramin Toloui, who helps oversee more than US$60 billion in emergingmarket bonds and currencies at bond fund manager Pimco. ‘Several Asian central banks see more rapid exchange- rate appreciation as an important tool to fight inflation.’

After rising 7 per cent last year, the yuan has appreciated 1.9 per cent to 7.1635 per dollar so far in 2008.

JPMorgan Chase & Co, the world’s ninth-biggest currency trader, predicts a further 14 per cent increase, while Citigroup in New York forecasts a 6 per cent advance.

Thailand’s baht has climbed 3.7 per cent to 32.53 this year, while the Taiwan dollar is up 2.4 per cent at NT$31.75.

While the International Monetary Fund expects growth in Asian emerging markets to slow to 8.6 per cent in 2008 from 9.6 per cent last year, that’s still six times faster than the 1.5 per cent expansion predicted for the US.

Consumer prices in the region’s 10 largest economies outside Japan are rising at an average annual rate of 5.3 per cent, compared with 4.1 per cent in the US, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Faster inflation raises the odds that central banks in Asia will increase interest rates, bolstering the appeal of their currencies.

‘We are long Asian currencies,’ said Donald Amstad, head of Asia-Pacific fixed-income at Aberdeen Asset Management, which oversees US$205 billion. ‘Asia is in relatively better shape than the rest of the world.’

A ‘long’ position is a bet that a currency will gain.

To keep their currencies from appreciating too fast and hurting exporters, Asian central banks have bought US dollars, accumulating US$4 trillion in foreign-exchange reserves.

The downside to intervention is that it increases the supply of the local currency, which tends to fuel inflation. To prevent that from happening, Asian central banks typically sell bonds to remove those funds from the economy.

That option has become more costly because interest on the debt is paid with income from its reserves, which are invested in dollar-denominated securities.

The People’s Bank of China pays 1.31 percentage points more on its six-month bills than it earns on similar maturity US Treasuries following the US Federal Reserve’s five rate cuts since September. Six months ago, the spread was 2.2 percentage points in favour of US debt.

After four years of profits, the bank is now losing US$4 billion a month by intervening, according to French bank BNP Paribas.

 

Source: Bloomberg, Reuters (Business Times 20 Feb 08)

Inflation in China hits 11-year high, set to rise further

(BEIJING) China’s inflation rose to its highest level in more than 11 years in January after devastating snowstorms worsened food shortages, according to data reported yesterday, and analysts warned there might be sharper increases to come.

Consumer prices in January climbed 7.1 per cent from the same month last year, driven by an 18.2 per cent rise in costs, the National Bureau of Statistics reported.

Economists warned that despite efforts to ease food shortages, China faces pressure for prices to rise across the board due to higher wages and costs for coal, iron ore and other industrial materials.

February inflation ‘is likely to be much higher than 7 per cent, and might even get close to double-digit levels,’ said Goldman Sachs economists Yu Song and Hong Liang in a report to clients. ‘Inflation is likely to have further legs to run.’

High inflation could complicate Beijing’s efforts to keep the fast-growing economy from overheating and add to pressure to let the exchange rate of its currency, the yuan, rise faster.

Surging food costs are a political concern for Chinese leaders because they hit the poor majority hard in a society where families spend up to half their incomes on food. Bouts of high inflation in the 1980s and 1990s sparked protests, which the government hopes to avoid repeating.

Economists expect interest rate hikes this year but say they should be modest because the key factor driving inflation is shortages of pork and some other food, rather than too much credit.

Beijing has nudged up rates over the past two years to cool a lending boom. But it faces the dilemma that more rises at a time when US rates are falling could attract money from abroad, adding fuel to the boom.

 

Source: AP (Business Times 20 Feb 08)

Rising costs, strapped consumers squeeze top US foodmakers

(CHICAGO) For more than a year, food makers and other consumer products companies have passed on much of the burden of rising commodity costs to consumers.

In fact, companies like H J Heinz and Hormel Foods proved again with earnings forecasts and announcements on Friday that this was still the case early this year, fuelling a rally in food stocks. But that relief could prove short-lived, because 2008 could be the year American consumers start shunning branded products for less expensive private-label alternatives, industry experts warn.

Such a shift could hurt profits at the companies that already have exhausted most measures to cut costs and become more efficient over the past several years in the wake of soaring prices for wheat, cocoa, milk and energy, just to name a few. ‘When you say input costs are going up 6 per cent and you are only getting 4 per cent net pricing, where do you make up the rest?’ asked Gregg Warren, an analyst at Morningstar.

Rising commodity costs and economically stressed consumers were expected to be the main topics when consumer products company executives meet analysts at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in Florida that began yesterday.

For the past several years, many of the big food and consumer products companies have tried to mitigate rising commodity costs by cutting jobs, closing plants and taking other steps to become more efficient.

They also passed some of those costs to consumers with price increases, generally finding little resistance as shoppers continued to eat brand-name foods and use brand-name soap, while cutting back in other areas.

But the pricing power is not unlimited by any means, Ken Harris, a principal at consulting firm Cannondale Associates, said. While the round of price increases that went into place a few weeks ago might not cause a major change, the next will, he said.

Concerns about higher costs and weaker pricing power had led to a sharp downturn in stocks that would normally perform well as defensive plays in an economy that might be on the brink of a recession. Even after a rally on Friday morning, the Standard & Poor’s packaged foods index is down 5 per cent this year.

The S&P household and personal care index is down 8 per cent.

‘We think investors remain rightfully focused on US economic weakness and the potential effects around the globe,’ Bear Stearns said in a research note about the Florida conference.

Consumers have already started trading down in juice and milk, said Brian Morgan, a senior research analyst at Euromonitor International. He also said he expected to see moves down in other staples like bread.

Source: Reuters

Jurong Lake area: Big changes planned

URA in talks with stakeholders about plans for tourism, retail and entertainment centre

A WAVE of changes has been planned for Jurong Lake.

Government officials and industry captains have met and discussed the area’s potential as a commercial, retail and entertainment centre.

Preliminary discussions centred on developing office space, a commercial centre with retail shops, four to five hotels and a resort or theme park for Singaporeans and tourists alike – all clustered around the Chinese and Japanese gardens on the shores of Jurong Lake.

The site will also take in the 12ha area occupied by the now-defunct Tang Dynasty City theme park. Built at a cost of $100 million in 1991, it was forced to shut down in 1999 when it failed to pull in enough visitors.

When news broke last year that Tang Dynasty City was to be demolished, landlord Jurong Town Council and the Singapore Tourism Board said then that they were ‘evaluating the area for redevelopment’ into an attraction.

Multiple sources confirmed – on condition of anonymity – that a feedback session with more than 100 stakeholders was held last month on developing the area. At the session, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) shared its proposed plans and sought reactions to it.

One source said: ‘The plan is to try and do something similar to what was done in Tampines – to have a commercial centre, but also to add leisure elements.’

Another source said Jurong Lake was at the heart of the proposed development, and the viability of a water theme park was discussed.

The Singapore Science Centre, in Jurong Town Hall Road since 1977, will also be moving, but it is unclear when this will happen or where it will move to.

Also unclear is the fate of Snow City. The Straits Times understands that Singapore’s first permanent indoor snow centre has a three-year lease and recently started turning in profits.

URA declined comment, but industry players who have heard about it are excited. A lakeside site, served by the East-West MRT line and near industrial parks and residential areas, is suitable for a mixed development, some said.

Source: The Straits Times 20 Feb 08

Falling stock volumes reflect bearish market

Many investors stay on sidelines despite STI’s rebound from last month’s drop

THE stock market’s recovery after the nasty pre-Chinese New Year selldown was nothing short of spectacular, but the headline numbers tell only half the story.

While the Straits Times Index (STI) has shot up 5.7 per cent, or 166 points, in the last fortnight, daily traded volumes have barely been registering a pulse.

Daily volume has fallen to just 1.69 billion shares worth $1.8 billion so far this month from January’s 1.95 billion shares worth $2.26 billion.

The fall from the same period a year ago is even more dramatic.

At the start of last year, foreign funds poured billions into the region, sending average daily volumes in the first quarter to 2.3 billion shares worth $2 billion. The STI responded by rocketing 8 per cent to cross 3,000 points for the first time.

As the bull run accelerated in the second quarter, daily average volumes hit 3.5 billion shares worth $2.2 billion, while the STI jumped a further 10 per cent.

On July 18, the bulls were beside themselves, with the overall market volume hitting a staggering 9.22 billion shares worth $4.4 billion – an all-time daily record.

The slide began in August, when sub-prime worries in the United States spooked global markets and sent many investors scurrying to the safety of the sidelines.

Trading levels have been reflecting the growing sense of investor unease.

Average daily volume fell to 3.1 billion shares worth $2.6 billion in the third quarter, and further to 2.26 billion shares worth $2.4 billion in the fourth quarter, with the slide continuing this year.

Nowhere is the pain of anaemic trading volumes felt more strongly than at the Singapore Exchange (SGX), which relies on clearing trades for the bulk of its income.

Its shares over the past 12 months tell a similar story of a slowing market.

SGX’s share price climbed from $5.95 on Jan 3 last year to a record high of $16.40 on Oct 8, before falling to as low as $8.70 on Jan 22.

While trading on the broad market has fallen sharply, however, blue chips continue to be traded actively, with their share prices moving in tandem with other blue-chip stocks in the rest of Asia.

This suggests that hedge funds – which deploy sophisticated investment strategies – are actively trading in and out of their portfolios as they react to day-to-day developments in the US.

That gives most other global investors little reason to cheer, and the speed of the market’s deterioration is causing much concern, said Citigroup’s chief Asian equities strategist, Mr Markus Rosgen.

The problem is that while shell-shocked investors are no longer complacent, their stock portfolios might still be filled with counters, such as banks and real estate, which prosper only in a bull market.

‘This will prove the undoing of many an investor,’ said Mr Rosgen.

Still, one dealer noted that recent trading patterns indicate that retail investors are turning out to be a savvy bunch and have avoided taking fresh positions in penny stocks.

The UOB Catalist Index – which tracks penny stocks – has fallen by 28 per cent since last October. But daily traded volumes in its shares plunged even more steeply – from an average 402.9 million shares then to only 110 million shares now.

Some experts believe that the market may undergo another round of selling before reaching a ‘bottom’, presenting investors with a good buying opportunity.

‘Between now and then, patience is what is required, and the winner is the one who loses least,’ said Mr Rosgen.

 

Source: The Straits Times 20 Feb 08

Parkway dives 8.3% on record bid for site

Winning bid of $1,600 psf ppr for Novena hospital site is over twice the second highest offer

 

SHARES of Parkway Holdings took a beating yesterday as concerns emerged that the healthcare provider might have overpaid for a hospital site at Novena.

Parkway’s stock slipped as much as 9.7 per cent yesterday following Friday’s news that the company had put in the top bid of $1.25 billion for a 1.7 ha site at Novena Terrace/Irrawaddy Road.

The stock ended the day down 30 cents, or 8.3 per cent, at $3.30. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) officially awarded the site to Parkway yesterday.

Parkway’s bid, which works out to be about $1,600 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr) is a record price for land, and tops the previous record set by Australia’s Lend Lease, which paid $1,455 psf ppr for a commercial site above Somerset MRT station in August 2006.

The bullish bid was also more than twice the $540.9 million offered by second highest bidder, Napier Medical.

Analysts, who estimate that Parkway’s total development cost could be about $1.6 billion-$1.8 billion, said that Parkway had overpaid for the site.

‘We believe capacity constraints at Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Gleneagles Hospital have pressured Parkway Holdings to be overly aggressive to secure the site,’ said UOB-Kay Hian analyst Jonathan Koh. ‘Parkway also does not want a competitor to secure the hospital site.’

Mr Koh’s recommendation on Parkway is under review due to the massive bid. He previously had a ‘buy’ call on the stock.

Citigroup analyst Lim Jit Soon reiterated his ‘sell’ call on the stock, pointing out that the project will stretch Parkway’s balance sheet.

‘Gearing could rise to 171 per cent even before development costs are factored in,’ Mr Lim said. ‘In a credit crunch environment, securing financing might be an issue.’

Mr Lim added that Parkway’s strategy could be to finance the development of the hospital by selling the medical suites to doctors at between $4,000 and $5,000 psf. But while this strategy could work, ‘the company will have to convince investors that it did not overpay for the site’, he said.

CIMB Research agreed that Parkway has overpaid, especially when looking at prices in the Novena area.

‘Compared to bids for land sites in the Novena area, (Parkway’s) bid is more than three times that of Far East Organization’s bid of $501.2 psf ppr for a hotel site at Sinaran Drive in January 2007 and Frasers Centrepoint’s bid of $506.9 psf ppr for a residential site at Sinaran Drive in July 2006,’ said analyst Tan Wei Ling.

Ms Tan cut Parkway’s target price to $4.19 from $4.53 due to rising risk aversion.

But she is maintaining Parkway’s ‘outperform’ rating for now due to the company’s growing regional franchise, good earnings prospects and relatively attractive dividend yields, she said.

 

Source: Business Times 19 Feb 08

Modest weekend sales at Waterfront Waves

IN A bellwether post-Budget property launch, Frasers Centrepoint and Far East Organization sold 20 units at the weekend at their Waterfront Waves condo fronting Bedok Reservoir. The project was officially launched at the weekend with the start of an advertising campaign.

The sales brought the total sold so far at the 99-year leasehold project to 100 units, including 80 sold earlier after the condo was soft launched around mid-January. So far, 180 units at the 405-unit development have been released.

The average price currently for the entire development is $750 per square foot after discounts, with the spread ranging from around $650 psf to $930 psf. However, for the 100 units sold so far, the average achieved is $801 psf, as they are among the better-facing units. About 85 per cent of buyers of the 100 units are Singaporeans and 35 per cent have existing HDB addresses.

Property industry watchers were keeping an eye on Waterfront Waves for an indication of buying sentiment after Friday’s Budget.

Some developers hoped the Budget would boost buyer confidence, paving the way for them to go ahead with launches they had held back because of sentiment dented by the stock market plunge and sub-prime woes.

While the 20 sales at the weekend seem modest, Frasers Centrepoint assistant general manager (sales & marketing) Elson Poon said the result was ‘within our expectations in view of current market sentiment’.

‘People are still cautious when it comes to making big-ticket purchases,’ he added.

The project’s pricing may have been a factor, market watchers reckon.

Mr Poon confirmed that the $801 psf average price achieved for the 100 units is a new high for a condo launch in the Bedok Reservoir area. Three-bedroom units at Waterfront Waves cost between $880,000 and just over $1 million.

Giving his take on the outcome for the maiden launch post-Budget, CB Richard Ellis executive director (residential) Joseph Tan said: ‘The buying mood is still cautious. But if you’re expecting a price correction, it may not happen for a while. The bulk of unlaunched projects are held by mainstream developers. They have the capacity to hold and control prices.’

Another property consultant said: ‘If there’s any price drop it may be started by smaller developers, who usually try not to hold. As long as they can make money, they’ll let go.’

 

Source: Business Times 19 Feb 08

Merchant Square and Waldorf Mansions up for sale

MERCHANT Square, a four-storey office building off Merchant Road, is up for sale with a guide price of $73 million.

With a total net lettable area (NLA) of about 50,262 square feet, the unit price works out to $1,450 psf of NLA.

The property, which was developed by carpet manufacturer Jackson Carpet and completed in 1996, sits on a land area of approximately 28,083 sq ft and has two levels of basement carparking for 76 vehicles.

CB Richard Ellis is marketing the 99-year leasehold building and its director (Investment Properties) Charles Hoon said the entry yield is about 2 per cent.

He added that while the average rental is $3.80 psf per month, new leases are being contracted at $6.50 – $7 psf per month.

The lease profile also shows that close to 50 per cent of the current leases will be expiring over the next two years.

‘Smallish mid-sized office buildings similar to Merchant Square present a good acquisition opportunity and remain sought-after amongst end-users in view of tight office space supply,’ Mr Hoon said.

The property is currently 96 per cent occupied and has as its anchor tenant cosmetics company Estee Lauder.

Waldorf Mansions at Balestier Road has also been put up for sale. The asking price is $21 million, or $659 per sq ft per plot ratio (psf ppr).

The freehold 11-storey block comprising 16 apartments has a site area of 11,384 sq ft, a plot ratio of 2.8, and maximum gross floor area of 31,876 sq ft.

The site is marketed by Realtorhub Real Estate (RH), whose executive director Daniel Ng said it can be redeveloped into a high-rise condominium with 26 units of about 1,200 sq ft each.

He added that the site is capable of being amalgamated with the two adjoining sites, Balestier Towers and Scenic Heights, to form a larger development.

Based on the asking price, Mr Ng said that the en bloc sellers will make a premium of about 33 per cent over the current market price for Waldorf Mansions.

In July last year, RH brokered the deal for nearby Ruby Plaza which was sold to Soilbuild Group for $69 million, or $582 psf ppr.

 

Source: Business Times 19 Feb 08

Maybank’s home loan rate cut sets cat among pigeons

Analysts divided on whether this will signal undercutting among the banks

(SINGAPORE) Maybank has fired a salvo that could shake up the home loan market here by slashing its rates.

This has led to speculation that banks might start to undercut each other to drum up business. Meanwhile, the banks themselves are adopting a cautious stance in a falling interest rate environment that could change direction.

For a three-week period, Maybank is launching a promotional three-year fixed rate home loan package which is the lowest of all the banks surveyed.

Home-owners pay 1.68 per cent per annum for the first year, 2.68 per cent pa for second year and 3.38 per cent pa for the third year. The rates apply to both HDB and private home loans. Homeowners are subject to a three-year lock-in period and fees will apply in case of early redemption, prepayment and cancellation during that time.

Before this promotion, the Qualifying Full Bank’s rates stood at 3.58 per cent pa for all three years. Maybank’s new first-year interest rate is about 40 per cent lower than similar packages being offered in the market (see table). But it has a lock-in period of three years while other banks generally have a two-year lock-in.

Helen Neo, head, consumer banking, Maybank Singapore, explained that interbank rates have softened over the past few months. ‘However, we expect interest rates to rebound in view of rising inflation in Singapore,’ she said.

‘Against a backdrop of potential rising interest rates, home loan customers who take up this fixed rate package will enjoy the prevailing low rates and are protected from future interest rate increases for the next three years.’

Mortgage rates are affected by the Singapore interbank offer rate (Sibor) – the rate at which banks lend to one another. Sibor has been on a downward trajectory since late last year, after hovering around 2.5 per cent.

Yesterday, the three-month Sibor fell to 1.44 per cent, its lowest level since December 2004. Economists say it is expected to go even lower by mid-year, partly due to the US steadily cutting its key interest rate. Sibor takes its cue from interest rates in the US, and last month the US Federal Reserve slashed its key interest rate from 4.25 per cent to 3.5 per cent, and then to 3 per cent.

Maybank’s move to reduce rates is prompting speculation among mortgage consultants that banks could follow suit with foreign banks leading the way. ‘I’m not surprised that this round of interest rate reductions is led by foreign banks again,’ said Dennis Ng, spokesman for Mortgage Consultancy Portal www.HousingLoanSG. com. ‘From past experience, local banks have typically lagged behind foreign banks in adjusting interest rates down.’ This is because the three local banks have the lion’s share of the housing loan market. ‘If they reduce interest rates, they have more to lose,’ said Mr Ng. While cutting rates would let them gain some more business, the advantage would be neutralised if their existing clients start paying lower rates.

But with Sibor falling, other banks could follow suit in lowering their interest rates, Mr Ng said. The last time banks were seen aggressively undercutting each other on rates was in 2003-2004, where foreign banks actively led the charge in introducing lower rates.

Leong Sze Hian, president of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, agreed that banks would be nudged into lowering their rates. ‘Sibor rates are dropping and once Maybank lowers its rates, everyone will follow, otherwise customers will move,’ he said.

However, consultants like Tang Yin Fong, a mortgage advisor at wealth and investment outfit Providend, said local banks already have Sibor-linked packages which track the movement of Sibor, and do not need to lower rates to be competitive.

‘Such packages have been relatively attractive in the current lowered Sibor environment and have since been the main packages that the banks recommend to homeowners,’ she explained.

She also added that in the current situation where the Singapore property market still seems to be on the rise and more homeowners are seeking mortgage loans, banks may be less willing to lower their interest rates.

Meanwhile, DBS Bank said it has ‘no plans to adjust rates’ for now, while OCBC and United Overseas Bank both said they would monitor the situation before making a decision.

Foreign banks Citibank and Standard Chartered shied away from saying if they will review rates but pointed to their Sibor packages, which they say give customers control in repricing loan packages. Stuart Kamp, head of mortgages, Standard Chartered Bank, added, ‘We expect interest rates to trend down over the coming months.’

 

Source: Business Times 19 Feb 08

278 HDB flats swamped by 9,900 applications

Unsuccessful buyers urged to consider build-to-order flats

THE Housing and Development Board received 9,900 applications for 278 flats offered in its February bi-monthly sale.

Most of the units offered are four-room flats, plus 64 five-room units and 20 executive flats in 13 estates.

There are 119 units in Toa Payoh and 39 in Tampines.

HDB said the strong demand was ‘because the flats offered are in established HDB towns which are popular with buyers, but the supply of new flats is tight as there is limited land available’.

HDB advised unsuccessful applicants to consider booking a flat under its build-to-order (BTO) scheme. About 4,500 flats will be launched under this scheme in the first half of the year.

More than 500 are still available from recent BTO launches at Punggol and Sengkang, such as Treelodge@Punggol, Fernvale Vista, Punggol Vista and Coral Spring.

HDB also suggested that buyers also consider resale flats, which it said still remain largely affordable. It said that in January, 25 per cent of resale transactions were completed at prices no more than $10,000 above valuation.

The recently closed sale is HDB’s fifth bi-monthly sale exercise for four-room and larger flats in the combined balloting/walk-in system. HDB is currently reviewing the scheme.

 

Source: Business Times 19 Feb 08

CPF to keep OA interest rate at 2.5% for Apr-June

THE Central Provident Board said yesterday that it will continue to pay 2.5 per cent interest a year for members’ CPF savings in their Ordinary Account (OA) from April 1 to June 30.

The concessionary interest rate for HDB mortgage loan, which is pegged at 0.1 percentage point above the CPF interest rate for the OA, will remain unchanged at 2.6 per cent a year over the same period, the Housing Development Board (HDB) said in the joint statement.

Although the computed CPF interest rate derived from the major local banks’ interest rates for the three months between November and January works out to 0.74 per cent a year, the CPF Act provides for a minimum CPF interest rate of 2.5 per cent a year.

The prevailing CPF interest rate from January to March for the Special, Medisave and Retirement

Accounts (SMRA) is 4 per cent. This was computed based on the 12-month average yield of the 10-year Singapore Government Security (10YSGS) plus one per cent under the new CPF reforms announced last year.

The SMRA interest rate for April to June will be announced in March after the average yield of the 10YSGS is computed. To help members adjust to this floating rate, the 4 per cent floor for the SMRA rate will be maintained for the first two years, as earlier announced.

An extra one per cent interest will also be paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined balances, with up to $20,000 from the OA. The extra interest from the OA will go into the member’s Special or Retirement Account to enhance his retirement savings.

The CPF interest rate will continue to be reviewed quarterly, the CPF said.

Source:

CPF to keep OA interest rate at 2.5% for Apr-June

THE Central Provident Board said yesterday that it will continue to pay 2.5 per cent interest a year for

members’ CPF savings in their Ordinary Account (OA) from April 1 to June 30.

The concessionary interest rate for HDB mortgage loan, which is pegged at 0.1 percentage point above the

CPF interest rate for the OA, will remain unchanged at 2.6 per cent a year over the same period, the

Housing Development Board (HDB) said in the joint statement.

Although the computed CPF interest rate derived from the major local banks’ interest rates for the three

months between November and January works out to 0.74 per cent a year, the CPF Act provides for a

minimum CPF interest rate of 2.5 per cent a year.

The prevailing CPF interest rate from January to March for the Special, Medisave and Retirement

Accounts (SMRA) is 4 per cent. This was computed based on the 12-month average yield of the 10-year

Singapore Government Security (10YSGS) plus one per cent under the new CPF reforms announced last

year.

The SMRA interest rate for April to June will be announced in March after the average yield of the

10YSGS is computed. To help members adjust to this floating rate, the 4 per cent floor for the SMRA rate

will be maintained for the first two years, as earlier announced.

An extra one per cent interest will also be paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined balances,

with up to $20,000 from the OA. The extra interest from the OA will go into the member’s Special or

Retirement Account to enhance his retirement savings.

The CPF interest rate will continue to be reviewed quarterly, the CPF said.

Amex signs up for Marina Bay Financial Centre

It is said to be taking 50,000 sq ft in Tower 2, in the project’s 1st phase

AMERICAN Express International is the latest new tenant at Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC), which means that slightly more than half of the total 2.9 million square feet of offices in the entire development has been taken up.

BT understands it will take about 50,000 sq ft or two floors in the 50-storey Tower 2, which is under MBFC’s first phase and slated for completion by early 2010. Amex will join British bank Barclays, Swiss private bank Pictet and UK-based stockbroking firm Icap as tenants in Tower 2.

Barclays is said to have agreed to lease about 100,000 sq ft or four floors in the tower, Icap is taking 35,000 sq ft and Pictet around 25,000 sq ft.

MBFC’s Tower 2 will have nearly one million sq ft of net lettable area (NLA).

The 33-storey Tower 1, also in the development’s first phase, has about 600,000 sq ft of NLA and is fully leased, mostly to Standard Chartered, which is taking 508,298 sq ft.

Smaller tenants in that tower include French corporate and investment bank Natixis, which is taking 65,000 sq ft, and Wellington International Management Co (21,000 sq ft).

DBS has leased about 700,000 sq ft in MBFC’s Tower 3 – which will be in the project’s second phase and slated for completion by early 2012.

Office leasing interest in Singapore since the start of the year does not seem to have been dented by sub-prime writedowns that have struck international banks. ‘Most banks still see Asia as a bright spot and will continue to invest in Asia,’ an executive with a major office landlord told BT.

CB Richard Ellis executive director (office services) Moray Armstrong, whose firm is the leasing agent for MBFC’s office space, declined to be drawn into speculating about the latest tenants at MBFC, when contacted by BT.

However, he said, there is a ‘healthy level of active leasing negotiations going on and further announcements are expected within the next three months’.

‘Generally, too, leasing momentum in the Singapore office market has carried forward from 2007. There has been relatively minor impact arising out of the external sub-prime crisis. There’s still plenty of activity and leasing negotiations in motion,’ he said.

CBRE data show that Grade A office rents in Singapore rose 96.5 per cent last year to hit $17.15 psf a month.

‘We expect a more modest rate of rental growth in the order of 15 to 20 per cent this year. Upside remains because of the severe shortage of available office space. But because rents have moved up so sharply, a more modest pace of growth is likely, combined with greater caution among occupiers, which is understandable. These twin factors will contribute to more moderate rental growth.’

American Express International Inc currently has operations at The Concourse while American Express Bank has operations at Hitachi Tower.

 

Source:

Amex signs up for Marina Bay Financial Centre

It is said to be taking 50,000 sq ft in Tower 2, in the project’s 1st phase

By KALPANA RASHIWALA

AMERICAN Express International is the latest new tenant at Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC), which means

that slightly more than half of the total 2.9 million square feet of offices in the entire development has been taken

up.

BT understands it will take about 50,000 sq ft or two floors in the 50-storey Tower 2, which is under MBFC’s first

phase and slated for completion by early 2010. Amex will join British bank Barclays, Swiss private bank Pictet and

UK-based stockbroking firm Icap as tenants in Tower 2.

Barclays is said to have agreed to lease about 100,000 sq ft or four floors in the tower, Icap is taking 35,000 sq ft

and Pictet around 25,000 sq ft.

MBFC’s Tower 2 will have nearly one million sq ft of net lettable area (NLA).

The 33-storey Tower 1, also in the development’s first phase, has about 600,000 sq ft of NLA and is fully leased,

mostly to Standard Chartered, which is taking 508,298 sq ft.

Smaller tenants in that tower include French corporate and investment bank Natixis, which is taking 65,000 sq ft,

and Wellington International Management Co (21,000 sq ft).

DBS has leased about 700,000 sq ft in MBFC’s Tower 3 – which will be in the project’s second phase and slated for

completion by early 2012.

Office leasing interest in Singapore since the start of the year does not seem to have been dented by sub-prime

writedowns that have struck international banks. ‘Most banks still see Asia as a bright spot and will continue to

invest in Asia,’ an executive with a major office landlord told BT.

CB Richard Ellis executive director (office services) Moray Armstrong, whose firm is the leasing agent for

MBFC’s office space, declined to be drawn into speculating about the latest tenants at MBFC, when contacted by

BT.

However, he said, there is a ‘healthy level of active leasing negotiations going on and further announcements are

expected within the next three months’.

‘Generally, too, leasing momentum in the Singapore office market has carried forward from 2007. There has been

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relatively minor impact arising out of the external sub-prime crisis. There’s still plenty of activity and leasing

negotiations in motion,’ he said.

CBRE data show that Grade A office rents in Singapore rose 96.5 per cent last year to hit $17.15 psf a month.

‘We expect a more modest rate of rental growth in the order of 15 to 20 per cent this year. Upside remains because

of the severe shortage of available office space. But because rents have moved up so sharply, a more modest pace

of growth is likely, combined with greater caution among occupiers, which is understandable. These twin factors

will contribute to more moderate rental growth.’

American Express International Inc currently has operations at The Concourse while American Express Bank has

operations at Hitachi Tower.

Invesco eyeing real estate in China, Japan

Global fund firm poised to make first direct investments in Asia property

(HONG KONG) Global fund firm Invesco hopes to make its first direct investments in Asian property this year,  with Chinese housing and Japanese offices at the top of its wish list as global economic uncertainty throws up new buying opportunities.

Cheng-Soon Lau, who heads Invesco’s Asia property investment unit, said his patient approach to buying in Asia could pay off.

‘The markets have pulled back, so for those who have not invested in the last year, this year might be better,’ he said.

He declined to comment on fund raising, but Reuters reported last year that the unit of Anglo-US fund manager Amvescap was raising a US$300 million, seven-year, closed-end fund for Asian property.

Because of a stock market slide, some Western investors suddenly found that their allocations to physical property were higher than expected, Mr Lau said. But many were still keen on Asian markets that lag Western property cycles.

‘Investors who want high returns see these markets as attractive,’ Mr Lau said in an interview. ‘There’s appetite, but people are still re-evaluating at this point.’

He pointed to poorly performing Japanese real estate investment trusts (Reits) as an example of new buying opportunities.

Reits, which pay most of their rent as dividends, have been popular since they were introduced to Japan six years ago because they yielded more than bonds, while an upturn in property values and rent often produced fat share price gains.

But although the Tokyo property market remains strong, the US sub-prime crisis and global credit crunch provoked a sell-off in Japanese Reits, and many are trading below net asset value (NAV) and could be willing to offload buildings to lift investor returns.

Japan’s Reit index has dropped 15 per cent this year, compared to an 8.5 per cent fall in the broad market.

‘I think some of them will be looking to sell some assets,’ Mr Lau said of Japanese Reits. ‘Smaller ones are under pressure.’

Housing Reits such as Nippon Residential Investment and Japan Single Residence are trading at 30 per cent discounts to NAV, while some commercial trusts, such as Top Reit and Creed Office, are at discounts of 10-20 per cent.

Reits tend to trade above NAV because of favourable tax treatment and a premium for liquidity – units in trusts are easier to buy and sell than whole buildings.

With competition for top-notch Tokyo offices driving up prices and making assets scarce, Mr Lau said he liked Bgrade office blocks that could be revamped to give higher returns.

He was also upbeat about residential development in China, saying that a raft of government measures to cool markets would probably drive many developers out of business and open the field to new players such as Invesco.

‘There’s a fair bit of consolidation going on,’ Mr Lau said, adding that Invesco wanted to invest in Dalian and Tianjin, as well as in the country’s biggest cities Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

‘Notwithstanding this speed bump, over the long-term, second-tier cities will do pretty well.’ With average home prices doubling since 2002 and high-end apartment prices rising much further, Beijing has tried to cool markets with curbs on supply and demand.

China has raised interest rates regularly, imposed taxes on capital gains and land appreciation, stopped nonresidents buying apartments, told banks to curb loans to developers and employed a ‘use it or lose it’ policy to deter land speculation.

The measures hit housing market transactions in some cities at the end of last year, including Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

With many developers struggling to recycle money from apartment sales to finance new projects, analysts believe thousands could go bust.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 19 Feb 08)

Chinese developer bond risk rises to a record

(HONG KONG) The risk of Chinese real estate developers defaulting on their debt soared to a record on concern they will seek to sell securities after Country Garden Holdings Co completed its first convertible bond sale.

Three-year credit-default swaps on Country Garden traded at 1,100 basis points at 4:27pm in Hong Kong, according to BNP Paribas SA prices. Five-year contracts on Shimao Property Holdings Ltd rose 75 basis points to 975 basis points while swaps on Agile Property Holdings also increased 75 basis points to 1,000 basis points. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.

The first public bond sale by a Chinese real estate developer since November showed investors are becoming more confident in the long-term outlook of the sector’s biggest companies. House prices in China shrugged off government curbs on lending to rise 10.5 per cent in December from a year earlier, maintaining the fastest pace since records began in 2005.

‘It’s generally a good thing for Country Garden to be able to raise the funds, but the deal also opens the gate for other debt fund-raising from Chinese real estate companies,’ said Arthur Lau of JF Asset Management Ltd in Hong Kong, who helps manage US$128 billion of assets. ‘People are worried that bond sales will scramble to come to the market, not just from Country Garden but also from other developers.’

Country Garden’s share price jumped as much as 15 per cent yesterday. The stock closed up 12 per cent at HK$7.48 in Hong Kong.

Country Garden, China’s most profitable property developer, last week raised 3.6 billion yuan (S$709.3 million) selling convertible debt maturing in 2013. Investors can hand over the bonds for Country Garden’s shares at HK$9.05 apiece, which is 37 per cent more than the average price as weighted by volume on Feb 15, according to an e-mail sent to investors.

Country Garden’s 2.5 per cent convertible bonds now trade at 104.15 per cent the face value, according to Nomura Holdings Inc prices. Country Garden’s debt is rated the lowest investment grade at BBB- by

Standard & Poor’s. Moody’s Investors Service ranks it one step lower at Ba1.

Credit-default swaps on Greentown China Holdings Ltd rose 50 basis points to 1,175 basis points.

Contracts on Hopson Development Holdings Ltd jumped 50 to 1,250 basis points, according to BNP Paribas. That means it costs US$1.25 million a year to protect US$10 million of Hopson’s debt from default for five years. It implies a more than 65 per cent chance of default in the next five years, according to a valuation model by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Credit-default swaps are financial instruments based on bonds and loans that are used to speculate on a company’s ability to repay debt. They pay the buyer face value in exchange for the underlying securities or the cash equivalent should a borrower fail to adhere to its debt agreements. A rise indicates deterioration in the perception of credit quality; a decline, the opposite.

New bond sales increase the risk of default as they add more debt to the companies.

The credit risk of Chinese real estate developers has exceeded that of their troubled peers in the United

States on concern that China’s government will announce new measures to more effectively rein in rising property prices, and that developers will need to sell more debt to fund expansion or risk losing market share to rivals.

High-yield bonds of US home builders hurt by the sub-prime loan crisis now trade at an average 10.55 percentage points more than US Treasuries, according to a Merrill Lynch & Co index that tracks 93 securities. Greentown’s 9 per cent US$400 million bonds maturing in 2013 trade at a record 12.56 percentage points above US government bonds, up 64 basis points from Friday, according to ING Groep NV prices. Hopson’s 8.125 per cent US$350 million securities due in 2012 widened 90 basis points to a record 12.78 percentage points over US Treasuries.

Investors should price in more risk on the bonds of Chinese property developers to reflect the weak structures of the deals and the untested legal system for defaults in China, analysts led by Hong Kong based Pradeep Mohinani at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc said in a research note on Feb 15.

‘We reiterate a more defensive investment strategy and recommend investors to avoid this highly volatile sector in the near term because of rising industry and supply risks,’ the Lehman analysts wrote in the report.

Bonds of Chinese developers should trade at between 150 to 180 basis points more than their US peers,

the analysts said.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 19 Feb 08)

Two more govt agencies to vacate downtown offices

IDA, SLA making room for private businesses to ease office shortage

MORE help is on the way to ease Singapore’s office shortage, which has led to soaring rents.

At least two government agencies will give up their downtown offices to make room for private businesses that need more space.

The Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) will relinquish about a third of its 11,300 sq m office in Suntec City by moving some divisions to the Mica building in Hill Street by the end of the year.

Although it will still be close to town, IDA plans to move again in a few years to a ‘more appropriate location outside the central business area’ that can accommodate all its headquarters staff.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is also planning to give up its seven floors at 8 Shenton Way, formerly Temasek Tower, although it has yet to find a new home. This is a considerably larger office space than the one IDA is vacating this year.

Other state departments may follow suit.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Friday that the Government would move several agencies out of the central area by the first quarter of next year.

This will free up 20,000 sq m of precious prime office space for the private sector – equivalent to about 20 floors of a Suntec City office tower, Mr Tharman said in his Budget speech.

Although office space in the Republic is still cheaper on average than in Hong Kong or Tokyo, he said, the rate at which rents have risen has been ‘rapid and unsettling for businesses’.

Prime office rents shot up by 78 per cent on average last year, catapulting Singapore into the world’s top 10 most expensive office markets for the first time. The Republic jumped 10 spots to seventh place in the latest rankings, according to a report last week.

The Government has taken several steps to address the situation, including releasing temporary office sites and state properties, but these have had little noticeable effect so far.

Meanwhile, surging rents are also acting as a push factor for agencies that are relocating, especially those whose leases will expire soon.

The Economic Development Board (EDB), for example, is said to be firming up plans to move to Fusionopolis when its lease at Raffles City Tower is up next year.

Asking rents at Raffles City, where the EDB has been since 1985, have doubled in the last 15 months to about $17 per sq ft per month.

But other statutory boards that have ongoing leases – such as IE Singapore in Bugis Junction, whose lease extends to 2011 – will stay put.

Experts said this latest move would help relieve some of the immediate supply crunch, ahead of a slew of building completions expected in 2010 and beyond.

In particular, it will make things easier for firms already located in Suntec City or 8 Shenton Way that are looking to expand, said Ms Tay Huey Ying, director of research and consultancy at property firm Colliers International.

She added more agencies could jump onto the bandwagon.

‘Even those who own their own buildings could move out and lease out the offices, thereby releasing some space for the market and, at the same time, earning rental returns,’ she said.

Government offices still located downtown include the Ministries of Finance, Law, and Trade and Industry, all within the Treasury building in Hill Street next to Funan DigitaLife Mall.

There is ‘no real need’ for some of these departments to be in the central business district, and they could free up space for other occupiers who need the location more, said Mr Chua Yang Liang, head of research (South Asia) at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Merchant Square on sale for $73m

A MODEST office development with well-known cosmetics company Estee Lauder as its anchor tenant is up for sale at an indicative price of $73 million.

The price for the 99-year leasehold Merchant Square – located in Merchant Road, opposite Riverside Point – works out to $1,450 per sq ft (psf) of net lettable area.

The latest office property transaction in the vicinity involved the Apollo Centre, sold last December for $1,378 psf.

Merchant Square, completed in 1996, comprises a four-storey office tower integrated with two blocks of conserved shophouses.

CB Richard Ellis, which is marketing the property, said potential buyers can expect substantial rental appreciation in the short to medium term.

Nearly 50 per cent of the property’s leases will expire over the next two years.

Some of the leases were signed at rates as low as $3 to $4 psf, while others are at the current rates of $5 to $5.50 psf.

The Merchant Square vicinity is quiet – a far cry from the other side of the road where Riverside Point and Clarke Quay are located. It is currently 96 per cent occupied.

Estee Lauder takes up 1-1/2 floors, or about 15 per cent, of the space.

Merchant Square has a net lettable area of 50,262 sq ft and sits on a 28,083 sq ft plot. There are two basement carpark levels with 76 lots.

It was originally intended to be a retail project.

Back in 1995, however, owner Jackson International reportedly took advantage of the narrowing gap between office and retail rents to convert three of four shop floors in the development into offices.

Jackson owns one industrial building, but its main business is as a carpet and rugs distributor and manufacturer.

The tender for the property closes on March 12.

Source: The Straits Times 19 Feb 08

Day of reckoning for banks hit by US mortgage crisis

WASHINGTON – IT IS D-Day for the world’s big banks as they finalise last year’s results and try to account for the full scale of the credit upheaval spawned by the United States sub-prime crisis that threatens to stall the global economy.

Over the next two weeks, most major US banks will file annual reports with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several of Europe’s biggest financial firms will also release 2007 earnings statements.

For some, it will be the first audited reckoning of how badly they were burned by the market turmoil that began with defaulting US sub-prime mortgage loans.

Those reports should go a long way towards clarifying banks’ financial positions as at the end of last year.

Figuring out how far the credit crisis will spread is much harder and may determine whether the world economy is heading for a recession.

Banks buried in bad debts have less leeway to lend to consumers and companies that drive the economy.

They have also grown wary of lending to each other because of uncertainty about which firms face heavy losses.

To date, major banks have disclosed more than US$140 billion (S$198 billion) in losses tied to mortgages, complex debts and other bad credits.

German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said total write-offs could reach US$400 billion, suggesting that the barrage of bad banking sector news was likely to continue.

Mr Torsten Slok, an economist at Deutsche Bank, said bank write-downs of US$400 billion would no doubt be painful, but the impact on lending – and, therefore, the economy – would depend on how widely the losses were spread.

‘How much is $400 billion? If it is spread throughout the financial system, it’s peanuts. If it’s concentrated among only a few banks, it’s serious,’ he said.

The deadline for most publicly traded US banks to file annual reports with the SEC is Feb 29.

Although many, like Merrill Lynch and Citigroup, already revealed heavy losses when they issued fourthquarter results in recent weeks, these final year-end reports face closer scrutiny from accountants and could contain some new shocks.

European banks slated to report earnings this week include Barclays, BNP Paribas and Societe Generale.

Last week, Swiss bank UBS reported a net fourth-quarter loss of US$11.3 billion.

It also revealed that it had tens of billions of dollars in exposure to US mortgage loans, leveraged finance and other potentially risky categories.

Mr Kenneth Rogoff, an economics professor at Harvard University and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, said sub-prime-related write-offs were just the beginning.

With losses from commercial real estate defaults, unpaid credit card bills, auto loans, corporate debt and other items added in, the grand total may top US$1 trillion, he said.

‘We haven’t, by any means, seen everything,’ Mr Rogoff said. ‘If it were just the sub-prime debt, it wouldn’t be so bad. We’re just entering the US recession, so the defaults are just beginning.’

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 19 Feb 08)

CPF floating rate to be announced next month

THE interest rate for the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Special, Medisave and Retirement accounts (SMRA) for April to June this year will be announced next month, after the average yield of the 10-year Singapore Government Security (SGS) is computed, said the CPF Board yesterday.

The SMRA is based on the average yield of the 10-year SGS plus 1 per cent. A 4 per cent minimum will be maintained for two years to help CPF members adjust to the floating rate.

In addition, an extra 1 per cent will be paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined balances, with up to $20,000 from the Ordinary Account. This will go towards the member’s Special or Retirement account to enhance retirement savings, said CPF.

The CPF interest rate and HDB mortgage rate will remain the same for April 1 to June 30.

In a joint statement yesterday, the CPF Board said it would pay interest of 2.5 per cent a year for savings in the Ordinary Account to its members.

The concessionary interest rate for HDB loans, pegged at 0.1 percentage point above the CPF Ordinary Account rate, will remain unchanged at 2.6 per cent a year. The CPF interest rate is reviewed quarterly.

 

Source: The Straits Times 19 Feb 08

Capital will keep flowing into Asia, says fund manager

CAPITAL will keep flowing into Asia despite the turbulence across global stock markets, according to a senior executive of an international fund manager.

Fidelity International’s global head of institutional investment, Mr Michael Gordon, said long-term investors remain positive on Asia’s prospects, as the region is not plagued by debt problems being witnessed elsewhere in the world.

Fidelity is a global investment management company with more than US$276 billion (S$390.3 billion) in its portfolio.

Mr Gordon expects Asian stocks to fare ‘a little better’ than global equities this year.

Global equities will end the year about where they are now, he predicts.

‘We are still clearly favouring Asia over the rest of the world,’ he told The Straits Times.

‘Capital will continue to flow to Asia. I don’t see that changing any time soon,’ he added.

‘The debt problems that are killing markets elsewhere are not present here. In Asia, debt has not driven things. The credit crunch is not biting here.’

Global equities endured a torrid time last month. About US$5.2 trillion were wiped off their value, as investors took cover in the face of economic uncertainties.

However, that has not dampened the positive sentiment among investors with a long-term view towards Asian markets.

‘There are no nerves about Asia. The longer-term investors remain as committed to their investments in Asia as they were last summer,’ Mr Gordon said.

On his outlook for global equities this year, he said: ‘The volatility will quiet down a little bit. From here, things will probably be flat from today.

‘I expect it to close down about 5 per cent to 10 per cent overall for the year.’

He also feels Asia will be ‘quite insulated’ in the event of an economic recession in the United States.

The region’s long-term financial health is thriving, with strong foreign exchange reserves and current account surpluses, he explained.

Asia is also no longer as dependent on US capital now as it was 10 years ago, he said.

Source: The Straits Times 19 Feb 08

China, wary of social unrest, scrambles to contain food prices

It wants to avoid mistakes of 1988 as inflation hits 10-year high of 6.9%

(HONG KONG) Rocketing food prices in China have sown deep concern among the communist leadership, ever wary of social unrest, as they fumble to control inflation without repeating past mistakes, analysts say.

Overall inflation in China is running at a 10-year high – around 6.9 per cent in November year-on-year, official statistics show.

Inflation is now being driven almost exclusively by increases in the price of food, in particular the staple meat, pork, which has spiked 60 per cent year-on-year.

Prices have faced even greater upward pressure in recent weeks, as severe weather has crippled the transport system at the time demand is greatest over the Chinese New Year.

A report by Credit Suisse said 10 per cent of China’s farmland has been affected by the extreme cold, and one per cent could see a complete loss of crops and vegetables.

Price increases have been seen in food items ranging from cooking oil to apple juice, as China’s growth and global demand creates what economists have dubbed ‘agflation’ referring specifically to rises in prices of agricultural commodities.

Analysts say authorities in Beijing are becoming increasingly concerned about the prospect of food prices getting out of hand, but add that the problem is not yet approaching the levels that led to widespread popular dissatisfaction almost a decade ago.

‘They (the central government) are increasingly nervous about it,’ said Andy Rothman, Shanghai-based China macro-strategist for CLSA. ‘But it is a long, long way from the inflation problems before 1989.’

In January, the National Development and Reform Commission announced tightened supervision of prices for grain, edible oils, meat, poultry, eggs, feed and other items in both wholesale and retail markets. This followed the announcement in late December that from Jan 1 the government would slap taxes ranging from 5 to 25 per cent on exports of a range of products including wheat, corn, rice and soybeans to try and ensure stable food supplies at home.

The actions appeared to be stoked by memories of the widespread protests that resulted from the government’s clumsy handling of food price controls that led to inflation of around 50 per cent in the summer of 1988. Public anger prompted the demonstrations that the following summer morphed into anti-government protests and the death at the hands of the army of hundreds, possibly thousands, of civilians.

Vincent Chan, head of China research for Credit Suisse, cited another change in recent months, saying people were now expecting price rises.

‘If you look at the statistics, then China’s inflation problem is simply a food inflation problem,’ he said. ‘In the past, we have not really had a problem of inflation expectation (but) this year we have already seen that. And that normally means that prices will rise.’

CLSA’s Mr Rothman said pork price inflation is only a short-term problem, and predicted prices will start to fall back later this year.

‘This is a supply problem. In 2006, pork prices had a 10-year low. There was not any incentive for farmers to raise more pigs. This was made worse by blue-ear disease which stopped supply when demand was rising,’ he said.

The other major factor in Chinese inflation, cooking oil, was more complicated, he said, as 60 per cent of it is imported.

‘The major contributor to the rise is US ethanol policy and there is little the Chinese can do about that,’ he said.

Subsidies in the US have seen a major switch in land use to grow crops for fuel, rather than food, prompting worldwide increases in some staple foods.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation said in October that China was expected to slash its exports of cereals from 7.7 million tonnes in 2006-7 to 6.2 million tonnes in 2007-8. At the same time it would probably increase imports to 10.1 million tonnes from 9.3 million tonnes.

China imported 32.2 million tonnes of oilcrops, including corn and soybeans, in 2006-7, which the FAO said was expected to rise to 37.3 million tonnes in 2007-8, with exports expected to fall to 1.3 million tonnes from 1.5 million tonnes.

Mr Rothman said there had been anecdotal evidence of subsidies to poor rural areas, which if accurate could indicate the government’s willingness to take action to keep a lid on food prices and prevent any hint of social unease.

 

Source: AFP (Business Times 18 Feb 08)

Indian govt struggles to keep food prices down

Surge in global food prices hits millions of people in India

(NEW DELHI) Anand’s restaurant has served flat bread, lentils and vegetables to loyal customers every day for four decades but for the past year he’s been on the receiving end of almost non-stop complaints.

‘They argue because we’ve raised prices. But we had to increase them because everything – wheat, butter and vegetables – has gone up,’ says Sanjay Anand, second-generation owner of the Delhi restaurant.

Small restaurants like his, as well as hundreds of millions of people across India, have been hit by a huge surge in demand and prices for food worldwide.

The price hikes have triggered government anxiety over whether it can continue to ensure supply of affordable food for the country’s 1.1 billion people.

Analysts say India – which produces most of its own food, exports surplus items such as sugar and heavily subsidises supplies for the poor – has so far managed to avoid severe price shocks.

But it faces the same mix of factors as other nations grappling with rising food prices – higher incomes are boosting demand for protein, surging demand for energy is pressuring oil prices, and diversion of agricultural land to urbanisation and industrialisation, as well as grain production for biofuels, is pushing land values sky high.

‘Of course India is impacted by global events,’ said Saumitra Chaudhuri, economic adviser at Indian credit rating agency ICRA.

‘The question is whether there’ll be a supply response. Better yielding seeds, irrigation, technology and more efficient distribution can and probably will have a major impact. But it will take a little time and we’re likely to see no slack in demand or costs soon.’

The price of wheat on the Chicago Board of Trade more than doubled in the past year to a record high above US $10.60 a bushel for March delivery.

That means India’s government will have to boost the subsidies it pays to wheat farmers – and those extra costs have to be passed on to customers in restaurants like Anand’s.

Government subsidies to feed the poor have more than doubled in the past five years to US$7 billion.

Along with other efforts such as selling transport fuel below market rates to stem inflation, India now spends more than 15 per cent of its budget attempting to control food prices.

‘The government would never scrap food and fuel subsidies. It’s politically impossible and, as we’ve seen, can lead to strikes and protests,’ Mr Chaudhuri said.

Inflation in India, measured by wholesale prices, is running at around 4 per cent. Consumer prices, less widely cited, have gained around 5 per cent.

But for Saba, a housewife from Kashmir, the official figure lags far behind the hikes she has seen in her weekly food budget for staples such as cooking oil and wheat.

‘Prices are going up across the world, but in India they’re rising even faster,’ she said, adding that the prices she pays for wheat and cooking oil have doubled in the past year.

The wide gap between government figures and consumer anecdotes comes amid an unprecedented economic boom in India.

The economy is forecast to grow 8.7 per cent in the year ending March, a slowdown from a torrid 9.6 per cent rate for the previous year.

Rising incomes have created a surge in demand for food supplies from a growing middle class, even as almost two thirds of the country continues to survive on less than US$1 a day.

This has created a dichotomy in supply and pricing, illustrated by the spike in demand created by newlyestablished retail chains using grain and cooking oil to produce ranges of processed foods while the government sells bulk items below cost through its public distribution system for the poor.

‘The Indian government procures wheat and edible oils domestically and offshore and sells below world rates for the poor,’ said Si Kannan, associate vice- president at Kotak Commodity Services in Mumbai. ‘But if they pay the local farmer below global prices, he’s not going to grow the crop unless demand from private companies makes the price attractive.

‘So there’s a structural problem and prices for items like wheat, soy and oils are going to remain high in India like the rest of the world because demand is so strong and supply is limited,’ he said.

Record prices of wheat, soy meal and corn impact economic growth patterns worldwide. In India one outcome is that farmers, like their counterparts elsewhere, switch to high-priced crops and set off a chain reaction for other commodities.

As a result, the government has been forced to sharply raise domestic support prices to ensure production stays high enough to avoid large imports.

 

Source: AFP (Business Times 18 Feb 08)

Price of oil for delivery in 2015 hits fresh high

(LONDON) Oil for delivery in future years is extending record highs, a sign that investors are betting that supply concerns and other factors boosting the cost of crude are unlikely to fade soon.

Oil for delivery in December 2015 set a record high of US$92.50 a barrel last Friday. When oil for immediate delivery hit US$100 for the first time on Jan 2, the 2015 price stood at US$88.33.

‘It’s telling us that the market is still looking for a long-term oil price that works,’ said Kevin Norrish, oil analyst at Barclays Capital. ‘The market believes higher prices are here to stay; the question is, how much higher do they need to be?’

The rise in long-term prices comes as a growing number of industry officials are questioning mainstream oil supply forecasts, underscoring the challenge of meeting ever-rising world demand for fuel.

‘We are experiencing a step-change in the growth rate of energy demand due to rising population and economic development,’ Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Jeroen Van der Veer said last month. ‘After 2015, easily accessible supplies of oil and gas probably will no longer keep up with demand.’

The International Energy Agency, adviser to 27 industrialised countries, warned last year that a supply crunch in the period to 2015 could not be ruled out. Among the factors driving long-term prices are falling production in some areas outside Opec as well as rising demand led by countries such as China.

‘The fundamental influences at work on the curve are strong demand growth and the poor performance of non-Opec supply,’ Mr Norrish said.

The rising price of oil for future delivery also reflects higher costs and the changing nature of production.

Oil industry costs have surged in recent years due to rising raw material prices and as oil companies tackle more complex projects in more remote locations, such as beneath deep water.

In addition, a growing portion of future supply is expected to come from so-called unconventional sources, such as by squeezing crude from tar sands in Canada, which need a higher oil price to make money.

‘The long-dated price is supposed to represent the marginal cost of extracting a barrel of oil,’ said Harry Tchilinguirian, senior market analyst at BNP Paribas. ‘Up until 2003, that long-dated price was relatively stable, around US$22 a barrel, but it is now as volatile as the prompt price.’

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 18 Feb 08)

Sales activity surges to 42 disposals, buying falls to 79 purchases

INSIDE MARKETS

Fund manager sentiment turns negative, while companies’ buybacks stay sluggish for third straight week

THE buying was low while the sales activity by directors and substantial shareholders was high last week, based on filings on the Singapore Exchange from Feb 11 to 15. A total of 26 companies recorded 79 purchases versus 16 firms with 42 disposals. The buy figures were down from the previous week’s two-and-a-half-day totals of 33 companies and 83 purchases, while the sales were up from seven companies and 21 disposals.

The fund manager sentiment was negative last week with 10 asset managers that posted 33 disposals against nine institutions with 18 acquisitions. The figures are a sharp turnaround from the 12 institutions that recorded 41 acquisitions and seven asset managers that posted 18 sales in the previous week.

The buyback activity was also low last week with only three firms that recorded 13 repurchases worth $18.9 million. That was the third straight week of low buyback activity by listed firms. An average of only 1.4 companies and 2.5 trades were recorded per day since Jan 28, versus the daily average of 7.1 firms and 11 buybacks from Jan 7 to 25. Overall, a total of 33 repurchases worth $55.9 million were recorded in the past three weeks versus 165 trades worth $74.5 million in the previous three-week period.

The most active firm in the past three weeks has been United Overseas Bank (UOB) with 2.5 million shares purchased worth $44.3 million at an average of $17.65 each. That brought its buybacks since January to 5.14 million shares worth $91.2 million. Investors should note that UOB has cancelled more than 1.1 per cent of its issued capital since it started its second buyback programme in June last year.

There were several significant trades in the market last week. On the buying side, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Hiap Seng Engineering recorded his first buys since 2002 following the 61 per cent fall in the share price.

Meanwhile, Tembusu Growth Fund acquired more shares of Hongwei Technologies at below its subscription price.

Lastly, there was a rare buy by substantial shareholder Lim Eng Hock in FJ Benjamin Holdings which boosted his stake by 17 per cent. On the negative side, Cohen & Steers recorded its first sale in Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust at below its purchase price.

Hiap Seng Engineering

Purchases by chairman and CEO Tan Ah Lam in mechanical engineering firm Hiap Seng Engineering from Jan 21 to Feb 11 totalling 1.8 million shares accounted for nearly 7 per cent of the stock’s trading volume. The acquisitions, which were made at 39 cents to 34 cents each, boosted his direct holdings by 153 per cent – to 2.98 million shares or 0.98 per cent of the issued capital. Mr Tan also has deemed interest of 70.1 million shares or 23.1 per cent.

The purchases in the past month were made on the back of the 61 per cent drop in the share price since the last week of September 2007, from 94.5 cents. The counter is also sharply down since mid-July 2007, from $1.22.

Despite the fall in the share price, the CEO resumed buying at sharply higher than his previous purchase price based on the 150,000 shares that he acquired in February 2002 at 17 cents each. Hiap Seng announced its H1 results in November 2007 with net profit after tax down by 47.9 per cent to $3.90 million for the six months to Sept 30, 2007. The stock closed at 38.5 cents on Friday.

Hongwei Technologies

Tembusu Growth Fund Ltd has acquired more shares of polyester differential fibres manufacturer, Hongwei Technologies, at below its subscription price in May last year. The group picked up 800,000 shares on Feb 6 at an estimated price of 25 cents each. The fund manager previously acquired 794,000 shares on Jan 23 at an estimated price of 21.5 cents each.

The trades in the past month totalling 1.6 million shares have increased its direct holdings by 14 per cent – to 12.8 million shares or 5.7 per cent. Prior to those acquisitions, Tembusu Growth Fund subscribed for an initial 11.3 million shares or 5 per cent in May 2007 at 33 cents each. The stock has fallen sharply since October 2007, from 38 cents to 26 cents on Friday.

FJ Benjamin Holdings

Substantial shareholder Lim Eng Hock recorded a rare buy in fashion retailer and timepiece distributor, FJ Benjamin Holdings, with 10.9 million shares purchased last Monday at an estimated price of 59.5 cents each, which increased its holdings by 17 per cent to 75.9 million shares or 13.4 per cent. That was his first acquisition since September 2006. He previously sold 4.5 million shares in March 2007 at an estimated price of 70 cents each.

Prior to that sale, Mr Lim bought nearly three million shares in September 2006 at an estimated price of 49 cents each and 1.5 million shares in January 2006 at an estimated price of 37 cents each.

Investors should note that Lloyd George Investment Management (Bermuda) Ltd ceased to be a substantial shareholder on Jan 24 following the sale of 1.7 million shares at an estimated price of 61 cents each, which reduced its deemed holdings to 27.9 million shares or 4.9 per cent. The fund manager previously reported an initial filing on Aug 1, 2007, of 2.4 million shares at 84 cents each, which raised its interest to 5.4 per cent. The stock closed at 60 cents on Friday.

Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust

Cohen & Steers Inc recorded its first sale in Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust since it became a substantial shareholder in February last year, with 4.1 million units sold last Monday at an estimated price of $5.20 each. The trade reduced its deemed holdings by 7 per cent – to 52.9 million units or 6.5 per cent.

The group previously acquired 16.7 million units from February to July 2007 at $5.73 to $6.30 each. Cohen & Steers reported an initial filing on Feb 8, 2007, of 641,000 units at HK$5.90 each, which raised its interest to 5 per cent. The stock closed at $5.28 on Friday.

The writer is managing director at Asia Insider Limited

 

Source: Business Times 18 Feb 08

Investors looking for some clarity on the economy

WALL STREET INSIGHT

Focus on consumer price report, results of retail giants

AFTER somewhat of a comeback week for US stocks following the previous week’s heavy losses, investors will be forgiven if they feel as though they’ve got no idea what’s coming next.

Indeed, the events of the past week alone would normally be enough to keep Wall Street talking for a month: Yahoo’s rejection of Microsoft’s unsolicited takeover offer, Warren Buffet’s offer to assume US$800 million of bond liabilities from the three major bond insurers, Fed chief Ben Bernanke’s dour outlook for the economy, and the lowest consumer sentiment reading reported by the University of Michigan since February 1992.

‘I wouldn’t read very much into last week’s gains insofar as what it means for how the stock market is going to be trading in the coming week,’ said Joe Battipaglia, chief investment strategist at Ryan & Beck, who attributed most of the week’s advance to buying into an oversold market.

‘I see stocks bouncing up and down like they’ve been doing until we get some clarity on the economy and on how much more in writedowns are still to come from the financial sector,’ he said.

The uncertainty over the economy’s fate was mirrored in several reports last Friday, two of which pointed toward a recession, the other showing the economy holding up. In addition to the slump in consumer sentiment, Wall Street got the lowest reading in the Empire State manufacturing survey since May 2003.

But the January industrial production report showed a rise of 0.1 per cent putting it back to the record level hit in September, hardly a sign of recessionary contraction.

‘Most people believe that we’re either already in a recession or that a recession is an inevitable occurrence, but we’re still getting enough contradictory evidence to support an argument that we might not slump into negative growth,’ said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors, who believes that the chances of a recession are now better than 50 per cent. Perhaps that signal that a recession is not necessarily such a foregone conclusion is what enabled the S&P 500 to eke out a 1.13 point, or 0.1 per cent gain, to 1,349.99 points.

However, the Dow Jones Industrials did not fare as well, slipping by 28.8 points, or 0.2 per cent, to end at 12,348.212. The Nasdaq Composite also finished in the red, giving up 10.74 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 2,321.80.

All three indexes registered gains for the week. The Dow and the broader S&P 500 advanced 1.4 per cent each while the Nasdaq was up 0.7 per cent.

The ongoing credit crisis and the recession fears that continue to dog the stock market will make a repeat performance difficult.

Meanwhile, crude oil has been on a comeback of its own of late, gaining 4.1 per cent last week to US$95.50 per barrel, its biggest weekly gain since November.

The US stock market will be closed on Monday for the President’s Day holiday, so investors will only have four days of trading to decide on whether stocks will rise or fall this week.

With signs growing that consumer spending, which is responsible for 70 per cent of the US economy, is waning, Wall Street will be keeping a close eye on fourth-quarter earnings reports from JC Penney and retailing king Wal-Mart Stores for further indications of a slowdown.

Wednesday’s consumer price report will also be under the investor spotlight, as inflationary pressures have been rising, which could further weaken consumer spending.

Reports from the beleaguered housing sector, which Fed chief Ben Bernanke noted remains the key to just how bad the US economic slowdown will become, are due tomorrow. Investors will hear more from the Fed on Wednesday when minutes from its most recent meeting will be released.

Wall Street also will get a look on Friday at the Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s manufacturing survey, whose poor showing last month set off alarm bells to many on Wall Street that recession was on its way.

On the fourth-quarter earnings front, tech heavyweight Hewlett-Packard also reports this week, as do Whole Foods, Newmont Mining, PG&E, Trump Entertainment and MGM Mirage, amongst others.

But earnings reports from several foreign banks could draw the most interest from investors, who are on high alert for more sub-prime mortgage related write-downs. Barclays, UBS and Societe Generale, whose US$7 billion trading scandal erupted two weeks ago, are due to report.

 

Source: Business Times 18 Feb 08

Signs of US stagflation will pass off, say economists

Weakening demand will eventually cool inflation, they say

(WASHINGTON) A clutch of distressing US economic data on Friday rekindled fears of 1970s-style stagflation, but the current bout of slow growth and rising costs should be short-lived.

While there is little hope of a quick reprieve for US consumers coping with petrol around US$3 per gallon and rising costs for groceries ranging from soup to diapers, the good news is that conditions are unlikely to worsen, and slackening demand will eventually cool inflation.

‘We’re about to find out if high prices are their own cure,’ said Citigroup economist Steven Wieting, adding that higher prices have already eroded real wage gains and put a damper on consumers’ discretionary purchases.

Mr Wieting and other economists argue that higher prices will inevitably curb demand, and as demand slows, companies will end up absorbing more of the pricing pressure. While energy costs may not fall dramatically, they probably won’t rise as fast as they did last year. In January, petroleum import prices jumped 67 per cent on a year-over- year basis, Mr Wieting noted.

Friday’s economic data showed manufacturing growth in New York fell to its weakest since April 2003, import prices rose much more sharply than anticipated, and the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers index hit a 16-year low while inflation expectations spiked.

‘The latest set of US numbers will play to market talk of stagflationary tendencies,’ said Alan Ruskin, chief international strategist at RBS Greenwich Capital.

Still, former US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said on Thursday that stagflation was ‘too strong a term for what we are on the edge of’, adding the likelihood of a US recession was ’50 per cent or better’.

His successor Ben Bernanke disagrees on the recession prediction and thinks inflation will moderate in the coming quarters.

He is far from alone on the inflation prediction.

Lakshman Achuthan, managing director at the Economic Cycle Research Institute, said his group’s future inflation gauge remained in a downtrend, even as its weekly index of leading economic indicators hit recessionary levels.

‘Consumers have been losing the battle at the pump, where gas prices have been high, but winning the war on inflation at the checkout counter, where in spite of higher import prices, stores like Wal-Mart are making repeated rounds of price cuts to keep consumers purchasing,’ he said.

With wheat hitting an all-time high of US$11.53 per bushel and oil creeping back towards US$100 per barrel, corporate profit margins are hurting.

Martin Baily, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former economic adviser to President Bill Clinton, said there was one key ingredient missing from the current episode of stagflation – rising wages.

It is the vicious circle of rising prices leading to wage increases and still higher prices that has marked previous severe episodes of stagflation like the 1970s.

Citigroup’s Mr Wieting said that unlike that period, labour unions have limited negotiating power now, and are unlikely to have much success pushing for big cost-of-living raises.

‘I don’t know anyone who gets a higher wage because the cost of driving has gone up,’ he said.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 18 Feb 08)

2008 not necessarily like 2007: UBS

(ZURICH) UBS AG does not expect 2008 to be a year like 2007, when the Swiss bank wrote down US $18 billion in bad credits and posted the first loss since its creation, its chief executive was quoted as saying yesterday.

‘I view the environment as difficult due to great uncertainties related to the US economy. Nervousness will remain high in the markets. But you cannot conclude from that that 2008 will be a year like 2007 for UBS,’ UBS chief executive Marcel Rohner told newspaper NZZ am Sonntag.

UBS, the world’s largest manager of affluent people’s money, is Europe’s biggest casualty of the credit crunch by far. Investors fear the possibility of billions of dollars in new sub-prime writedowns.

Mr Rohner said UBS’s investment banking business would concentrate in 2008 on its strengths in customer business, such as equities and mergers and acquisitions advisory business.

‘Our goal is to give the businesses that do excellent work the space to develop further, while isolating the problem portfolios in the US mortgage market, managing them separately and quickly reducing the risks,’ he said.

UBS has published details of its exposure to problem areas in US debt, totalling US$88 billion at the end of 2007, including US$27.5 billion in sub-prime debt.

But Mr Rohner said the figure could not be used to predict losses, as it comprised highly diverse positions and risks. ‘The quality of our investment in leveraged buyouts, for example, is much better than in complex securities based on mortgages with poor debtor quality,’ he noted.

Mr Rohner said it was not currently possible to sell intact structured products. But where a collateralised debt obligation structure had become insolvent, UBS had been able to reduce its risks by selling the underlying securities at prices in line with their current valuation by the bank.

UBS’s private banking business has not been affected by the blow to the bank’s reputation, Mr Rohner said. Private banking recorded net inflows of more than 30 billion Swiss francs (S$38.8 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2007, and net inflows continued in January.

Mr Rohner defended the continuing payment of bonuses amid the losses, as the losses arose from real estate loans handled by a small part of the bank. Other areas of the bank had worked well and it was important to continue to motivate staff producing these results by treating them fairly.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 18 Feb 08)

HDB flat still very affordable for average S’porean

Some get up to $88k in subsidies, says Mah Bow Tan; also flats still cheap enough for families to use CPF for full mortgage payments

PROPERTY prices may be on the rise but HDB flats still remain very affordable for the average Singaporean, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan emphasised yesterday.

That is because families have access to subsidies which can go as high as $88,000 for some households, he noted.

And flats are still cheap enough for families to be able to fund their mortgage instalments entirely from Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions – without the need to stump up cash.

Mr Mah made these points at a Chinese New Year dinner at the Tampines East Community Club yesterday.

With HDB resale prices rising about 17.5 per cent last year, he said he is well aware that younger Singaporeans are becoming increasingly concerned about the affordability of HDB flats.

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to providing affordable public housing and said there were two ways to achieve this.

One was to give big housing subsidies to help newly-weds buy their first HDB flat. The other was to provide mortgages at a concessionary interest rate.

In terms of subsidies, an Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) introduced in March 2006, provided lower income families with an additional grant of between $5,000 and $20,000 to buy their first HDB flat.

The income ceiling for this grant was raised from $3,000 to $4,000 to allow more families to benefit. And the grant limit was also increased by $10,000 so that the highest tier grant is now $30,000.

Mr Mah said: ‘A recent Ministry of Finance simulation estimated that the typical young low-income household could enjoy housing subsidies worth about $88,000.’

He also revealed that HDB’s records show that recent buyers of new HDB flats use only about 20 per cent of their monthly household income to service their housing loans.

‘This means that families can service their housing loan entirely from their CPF Ordinary Account contribution, without any cash outlay,’ he noted.

In any case, rising resale prices seem also to have stabilised for now so there is no need for buyers to rush in at this point, said Mr Mah.

‘The HDB Resale Price Index grew by only 1 per cent last month, and we expect prices to grow at a more moderate pace in 2008,’ he added.

Mr Mah also noted that the proportion of resale transactions with a positive cash over valuation, as well as the median cash over valuation also dipped marginally last month.

He said HDB will continue to monitor the situation closely.

 

Source: The Straits Times 18 Feb 08

Budget could have helped more with costs, firms say

Tax rebate and cut in worker levies, fuel taxes among measures sought

THE Government’s Budget this year may look like it is hongbaos all around, but companies are disappointed that they are getting little aid with their most pressing challenge – escalating costs.

Even as families look forward to generous Budget goodies to help them cope with rising inflation, the corporate sector says it has been left to fend off the same economic demon on its own.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam yesterday said, however, that corporate taxes were already cut since last year, adding that the Government should not overreact to the present situation.

‘Particularly for small and medium-sized companies, the tax regime in Singapore is already more competitive than in Hong Kong or any other country,’ he told reporters at a community event.

Still, companies, business groups and economists said with a near-record surplus of $6.45 billion, the Government could afford to dish out rebates and other measures to help with spiralling rental and wage bills.

And while they welcomed new schemes to promote innovation in the long term, they said they would have liked some immediate aid, too.

‘Our costs have gone up on all fronts, be it raw materials, labour or rentals,’ said Mr Lee Tong Soon, managing director of the Thai Village restaurant chain. ‘Our profit margins will be hurt, and we had hoped that the Government would do something to help us in the Budget.’

The latest Budget was presented to Parliament by Mr Tharman last Friday. Strong economic growth and a redhot property market led to the exceptional surplus, paving the way for special transfers totalling $5.4 billion.

Most benefits went to ease the burden of rising living costs for households, especially those of the poor and needy.

‘For businesses, there was really little in terms of direct help to tackle rising costs,’ said CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun.

While a cut in the corporate tax rate would have been welcome, few expected it since the rate was reduced from 20 per cent to 18 per cent last year.

‘The tax rate is already fair. Our China branches are taxed at more than 30 per cent,’ said Mr Lee.

Still, companies and analysts were hoping for a one-off income tax rebate, like that offered to individuals.

Foreign worker levies and fuel taxes could also have been lowered, while foreign worker quotas could have been raised and rebates given to relieve rising transportation costs, they said.

Mr Phillip Overmyer, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chief executive, applauded the move to allow renovation costs to be expensed. This will mean big savings for retailers and restaurants, which have to remodel their outlets every two to three years.

But he was disappointed that the Government did not address Singapore’s acute shortage of skilled labour.

‘In the hospitality sector, foreign worker sources are mostly exhausted already, so there’s scope to broaden the countries that hotels and restaurants can source from.’

DBS Bank economist Irvin Seah said it was unfair to look at this Budget only. The Government has been working to relieve rental and wage burdens through non-Budget initiatives, he said.

Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng also said the Government may be counting on cost pressures to dissipate as the global economy slows.

Others suggested that the Government may be keeping its powder dry for off-Budget measures that may be needed should the United States and world economy slow more severely than expected.

Reactions to Budget 2008

STAYING AHEAD

‘Budget 2008 focuses on innovation and manpower – twin strategies that require an early investment in order for Singapore companies and the Singapore economy to stay ahead of global competition.’

SINGAPORE BUSINESS FEDERATION

ATTRACTING INVESTORS

‘For the financial sector, the most significant financial incentive is the removal of the estate duty… This would certainly make Singapore more attractive to overseas investors and assist in promoting the asset and wealth management business in Singapore.’

ASSOCIATION OF BANKS IN SINGAPORE

WOOING TALENTS

‘The tax measures introduced were well-balanced and consistent with the overall aim of the Budget to create a top-quality economy… Reduction of personal tax rates would have been a real icing on the cake in helping to achieve this aim, and we look forward to this materialising in the coming Budgets.’

MR AJIT PRABHU, Deloitte Singapore & South-east Asia tax partner

BOOSTING BUSINESSES

‘The Budget is good news for SMEs with most of the goodies appearing to go to them. However, it falls short of the expectations of multinational corporations and big business.’

MR DANNY TEO, KPMG managing partner

GOING GREEN

‘We had hoped to see additional tax depreciation on energy efficient and pollution-reducing equipment for businesses. The absence of such incentives… is a big let-down given the increasing worldwide concern on sustainability.’

MR LEONARD ONG, KPMG executive director

EASING COSTS

‘Significantly higher business costs from soaring rentals, GST hike, increased transportation costs from ERP, taxi fares and fuel prices have all exacerbated the situation. The Budget could have been better if it had brought some relief to address the rising cost of doing business.’

SINGAPORE CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Source: The Straits Times 18 Feb 08

Don’t expect big Budget goodies every year: SM Goh

THE generous goodies given out last Friday are the result of a bumper Budget surplus that cannot be expected every year, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong warned yesterday.

The surplus was driven by ‘exceptional’ economic growth of 7.7 per cent last year that may not be repeated, he said.

And the other conditions that led to such a big surplus – such as fast-rising property prices – may not even necessarily be desirable.

On Friday, the Government announced a huge Budget surplus of $6.4 billion, as well as $1.8 billion in benefits in the form of Growth Dividends, income tax rebates and health care and education related top-ups.

Urging people to have realistic expectations and not to keep asking for more, SM Goh said: ‘What I find missing is a little bit of reflection. That is, people asking themselves how this Budget is possible.

‘You got to understand that the surpluses came about because of the exceptional economic performance. We cannot grow by 7.7 per cent every year.’

He also noted that a key factor behind this year’s surplus was the strong growth of the property market.

It led to the Government collecting $4.1 billion in stamp duties paid on property purchases last year, a 211 per cent increase over the previous year.

But continued growth of the property sector at such a pace is neither possible nor desirable, SM Goh said, because it may lead to an oversupply of property or an overheating of the economy.

SM Goh was speaking to reporters yesterday at a Chinese New Year lunch at the Singapore Expo for about 1,000 elderly people from Marine Parade GRC.

He said that when he looked around at the silver-haired attendees, one question in his mind was how Singapore will look after them in the future.

‘So, therefore in our budgeting, we always have an eye on the future,’ he said.

For this reason, it is important for the Government not to give out too much of the surplus, Mr Goh added.

Rather, the Government must keep aside a sum to increase the size of Singapore’s reserves, which will come in handy in the future.

Singapore’s long-term well-being was also the focus of Education and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s first public comments since delivering the Budget statement on Friday.

‘We have got to turn our minds away from the immediate benefits that are being handed out…Far more important is what we are doing for our children, our youth, particularly those who are going to post-secondary education.’

A slew of incentives in the area of education was announced as part of the Budget. They included subsidies for part-time degree courses, an $800 million boost for the lifelong learning fund, enhanced aid for needy university and polytechnic students, and more top-ups to student education accounts.

Mr Tharman also encouraged local businesses to pursue innovation in order to compete against those from China, India and Western countries.

He said: ‘They must invest in some R&D, some innovation…try to improve, do something special, different.

This is most important for us in the future.’

Commenting on concerns about rising inflation, Mr Tharman said Singapore is well poised to cope with this short-term problem.

He said: ‘Inflation is not a problem for us in Singapore because we can help those who are directly affected, make sure that their families can continue to get by, continue to afford their food, and also encourage everyone to get a job. This is a Budget principally about preparing for the future.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 18 Feb 08

IMPROVING OUTLOOK: UBS expects this year to be a better one

ZURICH – UBS does not expect this year to be like the last, when the Swiss bank wrote down US$18 billion (S$25.5 billion) in bad credits and posted the first loss since its creation, its chief executive officer (CEO) was quoted as saying yesterday.

‘I view the environment as difficult due to great uncertainties related to the United States economy. Nervousness will remain high in the markets. But you cannot conclude from that that 2008 will be a year like 2007 for UBS,’ CEO Marcel Rohner told Swiss daily newspaper NZZ am Sonntag.

UBS, the world’s largest manager of affluent people’s money, is Europe’s biggest casualty of the credit crunch by far. Investors fear the possibility of billions of dollars in new sub-prime write-downs.

Mr Rohner said UBS’ investment banking business would this year concentrate on its strengths in customer business, such as equities and mergers and acquisitions advisory business.

‘Our goal is to give the businesses that do excellent work the space to develop further, while isolating the problem portfolios in the US mortgage market, managing them separately and quickly reducing the risks.’

UBS has published details of its exposure to problem areas in US debt, totalling US$88 billion at the end of last year, including US$27.5 billion in sub-prime debt. But Mr Rohner said the figure could not be used to predict losses, as it comprised highly diverse positions and risks.

Last December, the Government of Singapore Investment Corp bought a 9 per cent stake in UBS for 11 billion Swiss francs (S$14.2 billion).

On Jan 30, UBS announced a 12.5 billion Swiss franc loss for the final three months of last year and a full-year loss of 4.4 billion Swiss francs, a record for the bank. This was due to a higher-than-expected US$14 billion write-down on assets connected to sub-prime mortgages in the US.

UBS was formed in 1998 after the Union Bank of Switzerland took over local rival Swiss Banking Corp.

 

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 18 Feb 08)

Asia won’t catch flu if US gets a cold, says MM Lee

With China and India propelling it, Asia won’t be ‘unduly disadvantaged’ by a recession in the US

ASIA – propelled by the twin engines of China and India – will not be ‘unduly disadvantaged’ if a recession hits the United States, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night.

‘I believe this may be the first time where the US economy catches a cold and we are not going to catch influenza – I hope,’ he said at the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit dinner dialogue attended by about 200 aviation pundits.

The Chinese and Indian economies are unlikely to dip below 8, 9, or 10 per cent, he added, and while about 40 per cent of intra-Asian trade today is bound for the US, even if the US cuts its imports by half, Asia will not be too badly hit.

Zeroing in on the aviation industry, he was confident Asia will continue to soar high, as new airports are built and more people take to the skies.

He said: ‘I see enormous growth in Asia in the next 10, 20 years, more in Asia than in any other part of the world.’

China alone is looking at about 240 airports by 2020 and more than 500 by 2050 – and ‘that is just the beginning’ he said.

But on whether Asia, with its booming air travel sector, is well-placed to lead the aviation industry in all areas, including liberalisation going forward – an agenda that the International Air Transport Association (Iata) led by its head Giovanni Bisignani is trying to push – Mr Lee was a bit more sceptical, adding that ‘it will be very difficult’.

Countries with airlines that are not doing so well will want their flag carriers to grow stronger first before they open up. And while in his view, this is the ‘wrong approach’, it is nonetheless the reality.

Citing Singapore Airlines’ example, Mr Lee said its success shows how you become competitive when you are forced to compete internationally.

He remembers telling management and unions when Singapore Airlines (SIA) was set up as a separate entity from Malaysia’s national carrier that ‘if you can fly the flag and make a profit, I will be proud. If you cannot, let us forget it and somebody else can fly this flag’.

Everybody in SIA – from management, to pilots, to cabin crew and catering – understood that unless SIA was better than the rest, there was no reason for people to fly the airline.

Mr Lee said: ‘So I believe many of the problems that our neighbours are facing will go if they get international competition going and get international management to bring them up to speed. Then the whole region will prosper.’

Some progress has been made, he said, noting that by December, Asean will lift all restrictions on flights between capital cities of the 10 member states and by 2015, Asean national carriers will be able to criss-cross the skies over the region with no restrictions.

Turning to the other hot potato of global warming, Mr Lee was also asked during the 45-minute session for his reactions to attacks on the aviation industry by governments and organisations, primarily in Europe. Proposals have included taxes and penalties on airlines.

He replied that the industry contributes to about 2 per cent of man-made carbon emissions, but global warming has to be attacked in every way.

Still, if the problem is to be dealt with in a more cost-effective way, ‘then you must come to the conclusion that surely you can save more by rationalising air routes and have less of this prohibited flights and no-fly zones.’

Other things like more fuel-efficient jets, maybe the use of solar cells and many other options will also have to come.

According to industry average, one minute less of flight time saves 62 litres of fuel and 160kg of carbon emissions.

 

Source: The Straits Times 18 Feb 08

PROPERTY: Where to find homes at or below $600,000

They include executive condos as well as older private apartments in suburban locations

THE property market has quietened considerably this year, but prices have yet to fall.

Nevertheless, if you have a modest budget of about $600,000 for a home, your choices are not just confined to HDB flats.

Some fairly new executive condominiums as well as older private condos or apartments are within reach, if you look hard enough.

These are typically 99-year leasehold properties in suburban locations such as Woodlands, Choa Chu Kang and Jurong.

Some city-fringe locations such as Geylang, where the red-light district is nestled, or small apartments in places such as Upper East Coast Road, may also offer some bargains. Landed homes, however, will require a bigger budget. So will new condo launches, unless you do not mind tiny studio apartments.

New versus Old

BUYERS tend to prefer buying new properties directly from developers, rather than old ones. They are drawn by the slick marketing promotions put out by developers and pay a premium for their new homes. But new properties may not be worth buying when you have a tight budget.

‘In 2006, all the record prices were achieved by new launches,’ said Knight Frank’s director of research and consultancy, Mr Nicholas Mak.

‘Units at Ardmore Park, an older development which is in a very good location and is well-maintained, were transacted at much lower prices than those in new high-end condos in not-so-good locations.’

It is the same in suburban locations, as buyers pay more for what is new, he said.

The 99-year leasehold apartments at the 636-unit Maysprings in the Bukit Panjang area are mostly going for $650,000 and below. A year ago, they went for $500,000 and below.

The 17-year-old, 616-unit Orchid Park Condominium in Yishun, which faces Lower Seletar Reservoir, also had some units that went for around $600,000.

At the West Bay Condominium, a 936 sq ft unit was sold for $585,000 in January, while a bigger 1,216 sq ft unit went for $650,000.

Studio apartments, which can range from around 500 sq ft to 600 sq ft, can be bought for $600,000 or less.

The only problem is that there are not many of them in suburban projects, Mr Mak pointed out.

Private versus HDB

NOW that HDB prices have risen and there is overwhelming demand for new HDB flats, buyers may do well to consider private homes if they can afford them.

‘There will be growing demand for mass market properties as Singapore continues to create jobs,’ said Savills Singapore’s director of business development and marketing, Mr Ku Swee Yong. The opening of the two integrated resorts alone will create a significant number of entry-level jobs, he said.

‘Our unemployment rate is at a 10-year low, which means that we will need foreigners for some of these jobs,’ he said. ‘As long as rental values remain strong, capital values should also trend up.’

For those buyers who may one day want to rent out their homes, a private property could be a better choice than an HDB flat.

First of all, not everybody can buy an HDB flat. Also, there are leasing restrictions.

Yields may be higher for some HDB flats than private homes, but a private condo unit may be easier to rent out as condos usually come with amenities and security, property consultants said.

On average, net rental yields for private homes across Singapore are at 3.6 per cent, said Mr Mak.

Government data shows that the median rental rate in the fourth quarter of last year for Maysprings was $2.38 per sq ft a month. For a 904 sq ft unit at Maysprings, the rent would work out to $2,151 a month, or a 5.2 per cent gross yield.

The median rate was $2.09 psf for Orchid Park Condominium and $2.98 psf for West Bay Condominium.

Using this rate, the rent at West Bay Condominium would work out to $2,789 a month for a 936 sq ft unit.

Whether you are buying a property to live in or to rent out, know that you have a fair number of choices even if your budget is only $600,000.

 

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

ME & MY MONEY: He makes room only for property investments

Door company Slide & Hide MD places his faith in real estate in S’pore and China, and blue-chip property stocks

HE HAS worked in the construction industry for more than a decade and so it comes as no surprise to learn that Mr Andrew Lim, the managing director of door company Slide & Hide System, opts for property-related investments such as real estate and property stocks.

He said he has more than $500,000 invested in the Singapore stock market, mainly in blue-chip property counters like Wing Tai, CapitaLand and Chip Eng Seng.

‘I prefer to buy blue chips because they are well managed. The management is transparent so I can be assured that the company won’t collapse,’ he said.

His property investments include factories in Singapore as well as office space and an apartment in China.

Mr Lim, 48, has come a long way from his childhood days. His family was poor and he spent much of his time helping his father collect leftover food from households to feed the pigs at their squatter hut in Toa Payoh.

A polytechnic graduate in civil engineering and a student of the school of hard knocks, he had his fair share of challenges when he started Slide & Hide in 1994.

At that time, he was the first in Singapore to manufacture and supply a pre-fabricated, concealed sliding door wall system, and it took much perseverance before his product became accepted by architects and interior designers.

‘I was not able to secure any big project owing to the fact that my product was new and, hence, still not accepted in the construction industry yet. As I did not have enough money to employ people, I doubled as the salesman, factory manager, delivery man and site supervisor,’ he said.

He recalled how a contractor cheated him in his first project, creating cash-flow problems for his company.

Fortunately, he managed to avert going bust with a loan of $100,000 from his father-in-law, a retiree who used to work as a packager at flour miller Prima.

His business picked up in 1995 after he managed to secure bigger contracts, supplying his product to the Pebble Bay and Signature Park condominiums. By 1997, he had broken even and repaid his father-in-law.

His wife, Hui Ngoh, 47, whom he married in 1989, is an administrator. They have two sons aged 15 and seven.

Q What are your money habits?

A I draw a monthly gross salary of $5,000 from my company, which is enough for me and my family’s daily needs.

The profits the company makes are partly re-invested to grow the business and paid to me as director fees, which I use for my property and stock investments, whenever an opportunity arises.

I am a Buddhist and I always keep in mind the saying: Don’t consume more than what you need. For every cent I spend, I make sure it is spent wisely. I don’t buy branded goods just for the sake of flaunting them or feeling good, and we dine mostly at hawker centres and only in restaurants when I need to entertain business clients and friends.

Q What investments do you have?

A My investments are mainly in my business, properties and Singapore stocks. I started Slide & Hide with $200,000, and it has grown many folds.

As for my properties, I bought four adjoining units of a flatted factory in Singapore over time from 1996 for my own use and to guard against future rental increases, as well as to prevent eviction by the landlord.

I own a four-room HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio, which is being rented out. In late 1996, I bought a freehold condo unit in the River Valley area as an investment.

I began investing in China properties in 2005 with the purchase of an office unit in Shanghai for around half a million dollars. This was when I noticed that the supply of offices could not catch up with demand because of the influx of foreign companies there. The price has since appreciated more than 35 per cent.

I also bought two apartments in Zhuhai, a city in southern China that is next to booming Macau. One was sold for a 35 per cent profit in the middle of last year, while the price of the other unit has more than doubled. My China properties are generating net rental yields of above 7 per cent.

I started dabbling in the stock market in 1990, and I currently have more than $500,000 invested mainly in Singapore blue-chip property counters.

Q What about insurance planning?

A I don’t view insurance as an investment tool to earn a profit but as protection against disability and death.

That is why I believe in buying term insurance where the premium is low and the coverage is high. I am covered for more than $600,000 on my life. My annual premiums amount to nearly $10,000.

Q What is your investment philosophy?

A I don’t feel comfortable investing my money in instruments where I can’t make direct decisions such as unit trusts, or investing in an unfamiliar territory like a non-construction-related business.

When it comes to stock investing, I buy when there is an opportunity; that is, when there is bad news, and I feel that the price is value for money.

I monitor a few selected stocks which are mainly property-related. In the last few years, I have achieved average annual returns of about 20 per cent from my stock investments.

Q Money-wise, what were your growing- up years like?

A My parents worked very hard to support me and my two younger brothers and sister.

When we relocated from our kampung squatter to a 300 sq ft rental flat in Toa Payoh, the six of us had to adjust to sharing one small bedroom and a toilet. Living in such a cramped environment conditioned me to be more patient and tolerant.

From pig farming, my father went on to start a building construction business while I was studying at the Singapore Polytechnic.

Later, he was cheated by his partner. That experience taught me the danger of trusting people too easily, the importance of having full control and prudent management of my finances.

Today, my wife and I constantly remind our children to be thrifty. We give them only sufficient pocket money to spend on food, other necessities and transport to and from school.

Q What has been a bad investment?

A My worst investment was putting $10,000 with a friend working in a commodities company in 1990.

Over a one-week period, he made buy and sell transactions with a loss without my knowledge and called me to top up my account. I terminated it immediately.

I lost $10,000 of my hard-earned savings that week.

Q Your best investment to date?

A My best investment is my business.

It has provided me a stable income, a comfortable life for my family, as well as the freedom to decide what I want to do.

Q What is your retirement plan?

A I am financially independent now, but I want to carry on working as I enjoy the challenges of making my company grow.

My long-term plan is to use my civil engineering knowledge and experience to help charitable organisations or to link up with like-minded people to sponsor and build orphanages in poor countries.

I believe $4,000 a month is enough to cover my expenses and that of my wife in our old age.

Q And your home now is?

A When I sold my executive mansionette in 1994 to raise capital for my business, I promised my wife that I will buy her a condo unit 10 years later to show my gratitude for her support and sacrifice.

So in mid-2003, I bought a 1,400 sq ft unit near Bishan, and we have been living there ever since.

Q And your car is?

A A pearl white Toyota Camry.

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

9 in 10 find S’pore an expensive place to live in

Respondents in Sunday Times poll blame higher cost of housing, transport, food and utilities

HOUSEWIFE Goh Lay Leng has seen her monthly grocery bills go up by 10 per cent, and that has prompted the mother of four to look for cheaper alternatives.

‘Everything is increasing and we’re spending more. My husband says there’s hardly any money left at the end of the month,’ said Madam Goh, 44.

Her engineer husband brings home about $5,000 a month and the family lives in a four-room flat in Pasir Ris.

A total of 91 per cent of the 353 respondents in a Sunday Times survey agreed with Madam Goh, saying that Singapore had become an expensive place to live in.

The survey had been conducted in late December to understand Singaporeans’ attitude to money.

Nine in 10 also felt that Singapore was an expensive place to raise a family. Less than half were confident that their living standard would improve in the next two years.

They blamed the higher cost of housing, transport and basic necessities such as food, water and power.

Almost half said that they felt the financial strain of servicing mortgages or rents, although 36 per cent were contented.

Nearly half felt that a family of four needed between $50,000 and $70,000 a year – or $4,167 to $5,833 a month – to live comfortably.

The latest figures from the Department of Statistics show that the average household’s income went up by 9.6 per cent last year, the biggest increase in at least a decade.

It rose to $6,280, up from $5,730 the year before. Families with higher incomes also had bigger pay hikes than those in lower-income households, widening the rich-poor gap.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said recently that he expected inflation this year to be 5 per cent or more. It was about 2 per cent last year.

MP Halimah Yacob said that the public’s mood may have been dampened by the continuing prospect of high inflation. But she was also heartened that Singaporeans were practical and prudent.

‘They think of investing in their children’s education and old age and that reflects that they do recognise the need to plan for the long term,’ she said.

Take 41-year-old Madam Zaina Mohammad. The part-time cashier and her Cisco officer husband’s combined monthly income is just $2,000, but the couple make sure they deposit $50 every month into each of their three children’s bank accounts for their education fund.

Like her, the priority for most Singaporeans is their children’s future. If they had a million dollars, 27 per cent said that they would spend most of the money on education.

One possible indication as to why their children’s education reigned supreme: More than half of those surveyed said that they were either not sure, or did not think that their children would be able to improve upon or afford their present lifestyle as adults.

Another indication of Singaporeans’ prudent and practical traits: More than four in five chose to save their surplus income every month.

Despite rising prices, nearly all the people polled had no plans to pack up for greener pastures.

Ninety per cent agreed that Singapore was still a place worth living in. Also, two in five were glad that Singapore had become one of the richest countries in the world, because it meant better public amenities, a more cosmopolitan society and a vibrant nightlife and cultural scene.

Despite having to scrimp and save, Madam Zaina isn’t going anywhere. ‘It’s peaceful here and it is our home after all,’ she said.

 

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: THE DAY AFTER: The Government’s Budget Book

The Government’s Budget Book is a fascinating treasure trove of facts and figures about how different ministries are spending their money and what standards they hold themselves to. Fiona Chan and Adam Lee plough through this year’s offering

$20.1 million To be spent for the relocation of the People’s Association headquarters

$218 million To be spent on reclamation at Pulau Tekong

788 Number of overall crimes expected per 100,000 population, up from 717 last year

90% Proportion of ’999′ calls answered within 10 seconds, down from 98% last year

$1.9 Amount given to the universities in grants and subsidies

15% Proportion of single males in the 40-44 age group. The proportion of single females in this age group is 12.9 per cent

7.6 Number of divorcees per 1,000 female residents

3 number of cooks in PM’s office

450 Number of arts groups/artists to be assisted through grants this year

$2.9 Compensation payments for Jurong Island Project

$3 million To buy furniture and equipment for new Changi Prison Complex

45.2% Increase in Public Service Commission spending last year over 2006, mainly due to the higher civil service salaries

24.4% Percentage of Primary 1 cohort admitted into NUS, NTU and SMU

$27 To be spent developing *Scape, the new Youth Park behind Orchard Cineleisure on Grange Road

90% Proportion of all criminal cases that are proceeded with as scheduled

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

TOP OF THE NEWS: Budget boost for middle class

THIS year’s Budget has helped Singaporeans cope with their top concern – rising prices – by putting cash in the hands of both low-income and middle class workers, said MPs yesterday.

While bonuses for the poor and the elderly have been par for the course for several Budgets now, this year’s Budget saw the so-called ‘sandwiched class’ receiving a big boost from a 20 per cent income tax rebate.

‘The savings can be considerable and help middle-income earners cope,’ said Hong Kah GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad on the Budget package Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam delivered in Parliament last Friday.

The economy grew by 7.7 per cent last year. But inflation – caused in part by high food prices globally – reached a 25-year high of 4.4 per cent last December, and is expected to rise further.

‘Some countries try to address the problem by putting price controls…The more practical way is what we do in Singapore,’ said Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan at a grassroots event last night.

‘Let the prices flow down to the market but we put extra money, because of good Budget growth, into Singaporeans’ pockets. And that’s the way we address rising inflation.’

The tax rebate announced last Friday is a 20 per cent reduction of the income tax paid this year on last year’s earnings. An individual who makes just under $100,000 a year and would normally pay $3,500 in taxes can save some $700 in cash.

This dwarfs the relatively modest sums some middle class workers received in previous Budgets and is equal to the largest payout of this year’s surplus-sharing programme – the Growth Dividends.

The dividends, which range from $100 to $700 in cash, will be given out in April and October, with more for the old and poor.

‘People used to say the middle-income have been left out, but not this year. They are getting something, so it’s a welcome relief,’ said tax expert Lam Kok Shang from KPMG.

MPs also noted that significant non-cash payouts were made: Children aged seven to 20 had their post secondary education funds upped by up to $600, and Medisave accounts of citizens 51 and above received up to $450.

Mr Tharman said on Friday that investing in education and growing jobs and incomes were the best offsets against inflation.

But even for the shorter term, education top-ups and wider subsidies will help parents cope with higher tertiary fees, Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua said.

Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Indranee Rajah said that it was an equitable Budget with something for everybody, yet those in need will get more.

Tampines GRC MP Sin Boon Ann wished small businesses had more help to cope with rising costs, while Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Charles Chong felt rising health-care costs should be addressed. MPs said they would raise these and other issues when Parliament sits from Feb 25 to debate the Budget.

Commenting on the bumper Budget surplus of $6.45 billion, Mr Sin said it made the generous giveaways this year possible.

But Foreign Minister George Yeo sounded a note of caution when asked why there were not even more rebates. He said at a grassroots event: ‘When we look a year ahead, there are clouds on the horizon. So we have to be careful.’

 

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: THE DAY AFTER – Goodies for many, a tinge of regret for some

The disabled as well as single working women benefited less from this year’s Budget

STROKE patient Jason Yap will receive about $750 in total from the Government this year, from growth dividends announced yesterday and goods and service tax (GST) rebates announced last year.

Yet the good news has come with a tinge of regret.

There was, again, nothing specific in the Budget targeted at the disabled.

Along with single working women, they represent a small number of groups in society that have consistently received smaller hongbao come Budget time.

‘It seems like the disabled are classified as an invisible lot,’ said Mr Yap, 43, a former human resource executive, yesterday. ‘But we need to survive as well.’

The articulate Bedok resident, who has a bachelor’s degree from Britain, was paralysed by a stroke at age 36.

Unable to work and with his savings virtually wiped out by medical bills, he lives with his elderly parents in a three-room flat.

The family survives largely on the $230 he gets from the South East Community Development Council and the $500 or so the older Mr Yap makes as an odd-job worker at the airport.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Liang Eng Hwa, who has spoken about help for the disabled before, said that there was no ‘direct assistance’ for the disabled community and that they could be made eligible for help from several social and medical assistance funds that have been topped up by the Government as part of the Budget.

These include the ComCare fund, Medifund and funds that voluntary welfare organisations can tap.

About $200 million will be pumped into the ComCare fund alone. This fund is the primary source sustaining the Government’s social assistance schemes.

But the disabled are not the only group that may feel slightly short- changed by this year’s Budget.

Single working women who do not earn enough to pay tax also did not get much.

They already do not qualify for the NSmen bonuses given to most male Singaporeans.

But this year, they also missed out on the benefits of a 20 per cent income tax rebate, which higher-income workers received.

Customer service officer Faizah Salleh, 23, for instance, will get $500 in her Budget hongbao this year, which is less than half of what an elderly woman living in a one-room flat can get.

But she said that she did not mind both her smaller hongbao and the fact that her father or brother would get more since they had served NS.

What has left her a little disappointed is the fact that, because her family of eight lives in a five-room flat, they received around $750 less than what they would have got had they lived in a smaller unit.

‘Because our family is so big, it’s difficult for us to downgrade,’ said Ms Faizah, who lives with her parents, sister-in-law and four siblings. ‘It would be good if the Government considered family size as well while giving assistance.’

Jurong GRC MP Halimah Yacob conceded that there was ‘some basis for concern’ in Ms Faizah’s argument.

Housing type, she said, was the ‘easiest proxy indicator’ of a person’s economic status. ‘But we also know that there are many large families that live in five-room flats out of necessity,’ said Madam Halimah.

‘It would be good if per capita income could also be taken into consideration in any future distribution of surpluses.’

Another group that did not receive much in terms of relief were the top income earners, since a muchanticipated cut in income tax rates did not materialise and the tax rebate was capped at $2,000 per person.

But most felt that this elite group did not need the money, since they were key beneficiaries of substantial wage increments and bonuses paid out last year.

 

Source: The Sunday Times 17 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: STRATEGY – Some govt units moving out to free up city space

20,000 sq m or more will be available to private sector

THE government has decided to relocate several agencies out of the Central Area to free up space of 20,000 square metres or more by first quarter next year for use by the private sector.

The space being released, which will help to address the office space shortage in the near term, is equivalent to 20 floors or more of an office tower block in Suntec City.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam did not identify the government agencies that will be moving out of the city but market watchers suggest that they may include Singapore Land Authority, which currently occupies several floors at Temasek Tower near Tanjong Pagar MRT Station; the Energy Market Authority, which is housed in Singapore Power Building on Somerset Road; Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, located at Plaza by The Park on Bras Basah Road; and Info-Communications Development Authority of Singapore, now at Suntec City.

The Workforce Development Agency, housed at One Marina Boulevard, has also been highlighted by market watchers as being a possible candidate for relocation out of its prime CBD offices.

The Economic Development Board is expected to vacate its offices at Raffles City when its lease expires next year and move into Fusionopolis at one-north in Buona Vista.

Market watchers suggest that some of these government agencies with public counters are likely to move to city fringe locations, rather than to outlying areas to minimise inconvenience to the public. ‘Vacant state properties could be their new homes,’ an industry observer reckons.

In his Budget speech, Mr Tharman noted that in the short term, Singapore faces tight office space capacity, caused by the surge in business growth, especially in the business and financial sector.

‘Office rentals have risen sharply. Although office space still costs 30 to 50 per cent less in Singapore on average, compared to Hong Kong and Tokyo, the pace of cost increases has been rapid and unsettling for businesses,’ he added.

‘The tightness in office space should ease over the medium term, with the completion of major projects currently under construction, such as phases one and two of the Marina Bay Financial Centre, the Marina View sites and South Beach. By 2012, we will have an additional 1.4 million sq m of office space.’

To address the problem in the short term, the government has released a total of 15 transitional office sites and vacant state properties, which will yield 150,000 sq m of additional office space. Companies are already relocating to some of these sites, and to new regional centres, Mr Tharman noted.

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: ESTATE DUTY – Analysts hail scrapping of estate duty

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Move will boost S’pore’s economic competitiveness

ESTATE duty is finally dead. Tax consultants and financial advisers yesterday hailed the scrapping of the tax – denounced as ‘death duty’ by its opponents – saying that the move would boost the wealth management industry and Singapore’s overall economic competitiveness.

Eliminating the tax on a person’s assets at death puts Singapore on par with rival Hong Kong, which abolished estate duties two years ago, and would make Singapore a more attractive place in which to live, they said.

‘It’s been a long time coming,’ said Ooi Boon Jin, executive director of tax services at KPMG. ‘It’ll be a boost to the wealth management industry, and it’ll also encourage families to come and sink their roots here.’

Peter Tan, tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore, said that it was right for the government to remove the ‘archaic’ tax and ‘keep up with countries that have already seen the light’.

Other countries such as Malaysia, India, New Zealand and Australia have already done away with estate duties.

But there are countries that still retain an inheritance tax, such as the US and the UK.

‘It’s a misconception that estate duty only applies to the super-wealthy. It applies to middle-income people as well,’ said Mr Ooi.

Here, estate duty was previously payable on all assets of an individual upon death, subject to various exemptions, including the first $9 million of residential property and the first $600,000 for non-residential assets. The tax rate was 5 per cent on the first $12 million of taxable assets and 10 per cent for assets in excess of $12 million.

‘If you had $600,000 in your Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts, that would have soaked up your $600,000 exemption,’ said Mr Ooi. ‘Anything else outside CPF you left behind would be subject to estate duty.’

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam yesterday said that Singapore’s estate duty – inherited from the British when the island was a colony – would be removed with immediate effect, including for people who died yesterday.

He acknowledged that Singaporeans who had built up their savings from a lifetime of work wanted to pass on their wealth to their families. Some people became liable for estate duty when their estates received large cash payouts from life insurance policies.

Roy Varghese, director of financial planning practice at financial advisory firm ipac Singapore, said: ‘Wealth redistribution should not be at the expense of those who accumulate assets legitimately and diligently.’

Critics of estate duty have long pointed out that the tax generates insignificant revenue for the government and that wealthy people can avoid it by transferring their assets into offshore trusts.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore’s latest annual report for the fiscal year to last March-end shows that it collected just $98 million in estate duties, or 0.4 per cent of the total $22.9 billion in tax collections for that year.

In contrast, corporate income tax and personal income tax collections were $8.5 billion and $4.7 billion respectively.

Removing estate duty could also give a boost to the budding philanthropic sector in Singapore, as rich individuals who had already planned for estate duty may give the money to a worthy cause, said Terry Farris, Asia-Pacific head of philanthropy services at private bank UBS. ‘It may be an opportunity to give that directly to a philanthropic initiative.’

In his Budget speech, Mr Tharman also urged wealthy individuals to make a contribution to society.

With estate duty gone, the government’s remaining tax on individual wealth is property tax, which Mr Tharman said would stay. Unlike estate duty, property tax ‘does not affect our middle and upper-middle-income estates disproportionately compared to wealthier ones’, he said.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

Parkway’s Novena bid poised to set govt land sales record

(SINGAPORE) Hospital operator Parkway Holdings looks set to shatter all records for government land sales (GLS) with its $1.25 billion bid for a hospital site at Novena.

Parkway’s bid, which works out to be about $1,600 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), topped the previous record set by Australia’s Lend Lease, which paid $1,455 psf ppr (or $617.2 million) for a commercial site just above Somerset MRT Station in August 2006.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will assess all bids and award the site in a few weeks’ time, but it is unlikely that Parkway’s bid will lose out to the two other bidders, Napier Medical and Raffles Medical Management, which put in bids of $694.5 psf ppr and $344.1 psf ppr respectively.

On its likely win, a spokesman for Parkway Holdings said: ‘We believe that the value we have placed in this tender reflects ParkwayHealth’s desire to enhance Singapore’s position as a global medical hub with leadership in specialist services.’

He added that the hospitals that it operates – East Shore, Gleneagles and Mount Elizabeth Hospitals – are operating at capacity and the new hospital will add beds and critical space needed.

The Novena site, which has a permissible gross floor area of 778,768 sq ft, is the first hospital site to have been launched in about 30 years. URA said that the last hospital site launched was at Mount Elizabeth in 1976.

Knight Frank director (research and consultancy) Nicholas Mak, who had earlier estimated that the Novena site could fetch bids of $770-860 psf ppr, said that it is difficult to price the site. However, he believes the broad range of bids received suggests that his estimated price would be closer to market expectations.

Mr Mak also noted that Parkway’s bid could boost the value of neighbouring properties, especially Novena Medical Centre, where medical suites sold for around $2,500-3,000 psf last year.

Parkway has not indicated that there could be medical suites for sale if it builds a hospital, but Mr Mak estimates these would have to sell for around $4,000 psf. He added that a unit at Mount Elizabeth Hospital recently sold for around $5,000 psf.

Still, Mr Mak does not believe Parkway’s record bid price will be used as a benchmark for future land sales, and may be considered more of an anomaly.

The possibility of injecting the new hospital into Parkway’s healthcare real estate investment trust, Parkway Life Reit, also seems unclear. ‘To put it in the Reit, the land price should be lower to make the deal yield accretive,’ he added.

Napier Medical director Mark Wee also ‘cannot fathom’ Parkway’s bid except to suggest that it could have been a defensive play against competition.

Based on Napier’s own projections, a new hospital would probably not make money for the first six years either.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

Demand for mass market projects shifts into higher gear

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Developers not keen to release high-end projects in shaky market, say analysts

DEVELOPERS’ housing sales figures for January reflect a change in strategy to focus more on mass market projects.

Despite the still lacklustre figures for overall developer launches and sales last month, an analysis by Knight Frank shows the number of private homes (excluding executive condominiums) launched and sold in January in the Outside Central Region (covering traditional mass-market/suburban locations) rose 190 per cent and 123 per cent respectively from December 2007.

In contrast, launches and sales in the Core Central Region and Rest of Central Region fell in January, compared to December.

Given the dearth of activity in high-end locations, the Core Central Region suffered the biggest drop in median prices for units transacted during the month, with the figure halving to $1,623 per square foot in January, from $3,200 psf the previous month.

Elsewhere, median prices held steady, edging up 1.6 per cent to $1,053 psf in the Rest of Central Region and $811 psf in the Outside Central Region. The median prices include private homes as well as ECs.

Property consultants expect developers to continue to push out mass market projects, since demand fundamentals are stronger in this segment than the high-end sector, where buying traditionally emanates more from speculators.

‘Despite the more dismal global economic outlook, the employment rate in Singapore is still high and this will continue to support demand for mass market homes,’ says Colliers International director of research and consultancy Tay Huey Ying.

‘As for high- end/luxurious projects, developers are quite cautious and not so prepared to release them amid the current, uncertain market conditions. They will want to wait for better conditions before they launch these projects,’ she said.

Monthly data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show developers sold a total 316 private homes (excluding ECs) in January, up slightly from 305 units in December, which was the lowest figure since URA began publishing developers’ monthly sales figures and prices in June 2007.

However, Colliers’ Ms Tay says that stripping out the bulk sale of 97 units at Goodwood Residence in December, the January sales figure was roughly a 52 per cent improvement from December.

January volume was boosted by the launch of new projects like Waterfront Waves at Bedok, which sold 79 units during the month, and Wilkie 80, which saw 50 units sold.

‘We observed that luxury prices remained firm despite a decline in sales volume. In the prime districts, units in Grange Infinite, Helios Residences, Hilltops and Scotts Square were sold at median prices between nearly $3,300 psf and $3,700 psf.

‘At Sentosa Cove, units in Marina Collection and Turquoise were sold at above $2,650 psf,’ says CB Richard Ellis executive director Li Hiaw Ho.

However, Knight Frank director (consultancy & research) Nicholas Mak points out that the number of homes priced above $4,000 psf sold by developers has fallen from 72 units last July to five units in December.

In January, there was not a single primary market transaction in this price range.

Colliers’ analysis shows the highest priced home sold in January was a $3,671 psf unit at Scotts Square, compared with $5,146 psf in December achieved at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, and the record $5,600 psf achieved for a unit at The Orchard Residences last October.

The number of new private homes (excluding ECs) developers launched in January sank to a low of 410 units, about 8 per cent less than the 446 units in December and about a fifth of the high of 1,885 units in August last year.

Property consultants suggest developer sales in February may be lower than those in January because of the Chinese New Year.

‘However, developers are likely to maintain prices at current levels as they monitor the market situation,’ CBRE’s Mr Li says.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: BUSINESSES (COMMENTARY) – S’pore sharpens new edge in rivalry with Hong Kong

Battle could go beyond taxes to areas like innovation and pacts with other countries

BOTH Hong Kong and Singapore have the advantage of proximity and to a certain extent, blood relationship to China.

However, as close as they seem ethnically where their majority populations are concerned, they could also not be more different in terms of their commercial views of the world.

With Singapore inflation now hitting a 25-year high at the end of last year, and expected to rise to as high as 5.5 per cent this year, the questions over Singapore’s competitiveness in the regional and global market place has many businesses concerned.

Strictly from a commercial perspective, both are equally affected by the external factors which are driving up global prices and so it may be fair to say that Singapore’s current inflationary woes are not limited solely to the island.

So how does Singapore stack up against Hong Kong and do the recent budget changes in Singapore enhance our position?

Key thrust

While the 2008 budget announcement by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was limited in terms of tax changes for big business, the minister announced incentives to signal that innovation would be a key thrust of Singapore’s economic progress. Many measures were clearly also targeted at encouraging innovative thinking in small and medium enterprises.

Indeed, the message is that developing new and leading-edge products will be a key focus for strengthening Singapore’s position as one of the leading knowledge hubs in Asia.

Hong Kong has yet to introduce enhanced tax incentives for R&D.

In terms of tax rates, Hong Kong’s standard rate of corporate income tax of 17.5 per cent compares favourably to Singapore’s standard rate of corporate income tax of 18 per cent. However, once Singapore’s broad network of tax incentives and partial exemptions are taken into consideration, Singapore’s effective tax rate is significantly lower than Hong Kong’s.

With the Hong Kong government having announced an impending one per cent cut to 16.5 per cent however, the differential can become insignificant.

However, tax rates are not the only factor for investors.

On the international tax front, Singapore has negotiated almost 60 double-tax agreements with most of its major trading partners throughout the world, including the majority of its Asian trading partners and, in particular, the major growth engines of China and India.

On the other hand, Hong Kong has negotiated only three double-tax agreements, including treaties with China and Thailand. Even these treaties are comparable to the benefits negotiated by Singapore with these jurisdictions.

Accordingly, when it comes to a ‘one-stop’ shop for investment in Asia-Pacific, Singapore remains attractive as the first port of call for foreign multinationals.

In Singapore, the standard rate of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been 7 per cent since July 2007. There is no VAT or GST in Hong Kong.

One apparent advantage that Hong Kong has over Singapore is therefore the absence of an indirect tax regime similar to Singapore’s GST. So far, the Hong Kong government has been forced to defer the introduction of such a tax from the business community and the populace at large.

It is worthwhile noting that GST in Singapore is a tax on the final consumer, a cost which finds its way into the final price of goods and services which contributes to overall inflation.

In the area of individual taxes, while Singaporean residents did not receive the highly anticipated 2 per cent cut in top-tier tax rates, what they received was bittersweet. There was a 20 per cent rebate, but this is capped at $2,000.

Singapore’s personal tax regime may not be viewed as being as competitive as Hong Kong’s in terms of attracting high-income talent. As the table above shows, the effective tax rate for most senior executives remains more competitive for executives working in Hong Kong.

However, while the numbers speak for themselves, there are other non-tax factors such as air quality and housing costs which may sway in Singapore’s favour.One area where there was some cheer this time in Singapore was the long-awaited abolishment of Singapore estate duty.

This tax, which is essentially a ‘tax on the handing down of wealth’ finally came through after some years on many pre-Budget wish-lists.

The promotion of Singapore as a wealth management hub also saw the introduction of a tax incentive scheme for family-owned investment holding companies, allowing them to enjoy increased exemptions. This announcement should be an added boon to the wealth management industry in Singapore which will now find it far easier to attract wealthy foreigners to Singapore’s shores in competition with Hong Kong which abolished its estate duty back in 2005.

The most apt description, then, for Singapore Budget 2008 is that while still aimed at ensuring Singapore’s longer term competitiveness, was largely a bread and butter Budget for Singaporeans.

Nothing earth-shaking was announced for corporate Singapore.

However, the message remains that the government will focus on what it believes is right for the long-term growth of the country as always, while caring for the vulnerable, came through.

The writer is head of tax services at KPMG in Singapore. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of KPMG in Singapore

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: STRATEGY(COMMENTARY) – Deficit next year? Just don’t bet on it

Wealth management gets a boost, but Tharman keeps his powder dry

EVERY year at Budget time, Singapore’s Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, faces a task that must make him the envy of his peers in the rest of the world: he must explain why the nation’s tax revenues were so much higher than originally planned. Like those of his immediate predecessors, Lee Hsien Loong and Richard Hu, Mr Tharman’s Budgets have been inherently conservative in outcome – even if they are often (as this year and last) intended to be stimulative at the outset.

In each of the last four years, real GDP has grown much faster than anticipated at Budget time. Tax revenues have consequently far exceeded those projected at Budget time. This fiscal year (which ends on March 31, 2008) was expected to yield a fiscal deficit of $0.6 billion, but the government now estimates that the final outcome will be a surplus of $6.35 billion. In fact, over the first three quarters of the fiscal year, the actual fiscal surplus was $10.8 billion. All tax revenues were higher (as they almost always are in Singapore), but asset taxes surged most spectacularly as property values soared.

The January-March quarter tends to be the seasonally-weakest one for the fiscal balance, but the deficit for that quarter is unlikely to be $4.4 billion, so the actual surplus for this year will almost certainly be larger than the government’s current estimate.

With a larger surplus as the base, next year’s fiscal balance will also be stronger, assuming budgeted increases in revenue and expenditure. A betting man could do worse than place a large wager on actual revenues comfortably exceeding the Budget’s projections next year too!

The government’s intention is to provide a fiscal stimulus in the year ahead – evident in the projected fiscal deficit next year of $0.8 billion, which is not very different from last year’s projection.

Modest tax reductions include a 20 per cent rebate on personal income tax (capped at $2,000), revenue-neutral changes to the alcohol tax, a slight reduction in vehicle taxes (largely offset by planned increases in the coverage of ERP), and the elimination of estate duty.

Of these, the last will have a permanent positive impact on the wealth management industry (and Singapore’s attractiveness as a home for the wealthy) without hurting the exchequer much. The market will be disappointed that the top rate of income tax will not decline from 20 per cent, and the corporate tax from 18 per cent.

Mr Tharman has kept his powder dry for a rainy day – leaving ample room to lower taxes further were the global economy to weaken substantially more. He has still outlined an ambitious spending programme on further honing Singapore’s world- beating transport infrastructure, tweaking its skills-development schemes, and moving Singapore’s three (soon to be four) universities closer to the global frontiers of research and innovation.

Fiscal incentives and spending will further bolster Singapore’s R&D capabilities, by boosting both start-ups and existing companies’ research and also by attracting global talent. And for the community, there are further incentives for more voluntary saving and a deepening of funds to help the needy, vulnerable and sick.

Most exciting for the longer term, however, are the steadily-widening schemes for sharing surpluses with citizens.

Singapore’s budgetary accounting system is among the most conservative in the world. The fiscal balance is obtained by subtracting both operating and development expenditure from the government’s operating revenue alone.

The government’s ample investment income (from land sales, as well as the dividends, interest and capital gains of its sovereign wealth funds) is not counted as government revenue. In recent years, the government has made a small concession by using up to 50 per cent of the dividends and interest income from its invested reserves to fund the special transfers (to MediShield for the elderly, growth dividends for citizens, GST credits, etc, which are properly skewed towards benefiting the needy more).

However, the substantial capital gains on the government’s investments continue to accumulate, and cannot yet be distributed to citizens.

By next year, a constitutional amendment will allow the government to share the fruits of the capital gains made by investing its burgeoning reserves over the past several decades. That will give Singapore the ability to turn the dream of being the pre-eminent global city into reality. Clearly, only a small proportion of capital gains will be made available for spending in this way – the prudent practices of rich university endowment funds being cited as a precedent to preserve much of the corpus for the future while spending largely the recurrent components of capital gains.

When it begins to free up some of the capital gains from past investments, Singapore will have the wherewithal to realise the vision of an innovative, research-driven global city. This Budget contains merely the hint of those vast possibilities, but the vision is already there for those who choose to look.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: INDIVIDUALS (COMMENTARY) – Great expectations … dashed for now

One-off rebate can’t make up for an income-tax cut, especially when inflation is expected to rise sharply

THE collective groan of disappointment that greeted the government’s announcement of no cuts in personal tax rates this year was just about matched by the cheers that went up when a one-off 20 per cent rebate was subsequently announced.

But make no mistake: the rebate, generous as it was, cannot make up for the much-needed tax cut.

And that’s because what’s at stake are not just lower individual tax bills – but how tax cuts can help Singaporeans cope with the rising costs of living and aid Singapore’s regional and international competitiveness.

But don’t get me wrong: the 20 per cent rebate is a very welcome measure. It would mean having a fifth of your tax bill knocked off this year, subject to a maximum reduction of $2,000.

Public accounting firm KPMG has done the math, and calculated substantial savings for the lower to middleincome earners. The benefits thin out for the big-income earners, expectedly, because of the $2,000 cap.

But are the savings enough to help Singaporeans cope with one of their most pressing concerns in recent times – the rising costs of living here?

Inflation in Singapore, as mentioned in the Budget speech yesterday, was about 2 per cent for 2007 as a whole – and was much higher towards the end of the year. And inflation is expected to hit between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent this year.

As Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam himself said: ‘Inflation today is higher than what we have been used to in Singapore for many years.’

The unprecedented level of inflation will be a grave concern for Singaporeans, going forward – which makes the need for lower taxes all the more urgent.

And the 20 per cent rebate, while generous and targeted at the low to middle-income earners, is just a one-off measure – that is, it will only mean lower tax bills this year. What’s needed to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs over the longer term is a more permanent move, in the form of a reduction in the tax rates for all individuals.

To a lesser extent, a cut in personal income taxes would also have helped to boost Singapore’s competitiveness as a wealth management hub in the region.

The abolition of estate duty in Singapore will go far in luring wealthy individuals to park their money here – and that announcement in the Budget yesterday will, for now, help to increase Singapore’s attractiveness as a wealth management hub, even without a cut in personal taxes.

But, one needs to remember that neighbouring Hong Kong – Singapore’s fiercest rival for private banking and wealth management funds – is pulling ahead of Singapore, in terms of being able to offer a competitive tax environment for individuals.

Hong Kong slashed personal taxes in its 2007 Budget – it widened the marginal salaries tax band, cut the top two income tax rates, and announced a one-time waiver of 50 per cent of salaries tax and tax under personal assessment payable – when Singapore chose to keep its rates on hold. KPMG worked out that a person earning S$1 million would pay less tax in Hong Kong than in Singapore, as a result of these measures.

Assuming the individual is married with two children below the age of 16, he would pay an effective tax rate of 12.29 per cent in Hong Kong, as opposed to an effective tax of 17.42 per cent in Singapore, after deducting the respective reliefs applicable to him.

Experts agree that it’s not something Singapore can afford to ignore – and all eyes will be on whether Hong Kong decides to cut its tax rates again this year.

And it’s not just Hong Kong; with tax rates coming down across the globe, Singapore can ill-afford to lag behind.

The country has always prided itself on being one of the most competitive in the region, and it will need to seriously consider lowering personal taxes – along with the other generous incentives it’s offered to make itself the preferred hub for science and technology, businesses and individuals – to maintain that edge.

Expectations had been great that this would be the year for Singapore to bring its personal tax rates down to 18 per cent at the top level, but those expectations have been sorely dashed.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

BUDGET 2008: STRATEGY – Five-pronged strategy to fight inflation

A key problem is imported inflation, especially of food and oil

SINGAPORE will adopt a five-prong strategy to tackle inflation which is expected to stay high at 4.5-5.5 per cent this year, more so especially in the first half, said Finance Minister Tharman Shamugaratnam.

This includes steps like diversifying the Republic’s food sources and more fundamentally, keeping the economy competitive.

Inflation is a concern ‘not expected to go away soon’, he warned, adding that Singaporeans have to brace themselves for more cost rises.

Over the last year, global oil prices have spiked by 50 per cent, raw food prices by 55 per cent and commodity prices by 31 per cent. These have cascaded down into higher transport costs, more expensive manufactured goods, and costlier consumer foods.

‘We cannot say how long it will last, but we have to expect that it will remain high, in the first half of this year especially. For example, China’s worst winter in 50 years will likely add pressure to prices of certain foods in the next six months,’ he added.

While last July’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) increase had partly contributed to inflation, this has been compensated for by substantial GST offsets – spread over four years – for most Singaporeans, Mr Tharman said.

‘The key problem we face going forward is that of imported inflation caused by high global prices, especially of food and oil.’

Outlining his five-prong anti-inflation plan, Mr Tharman said that this firstly involves the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) use of the exchange rate to moderate imported inflation.

‘Had the MAS not allowed the Singapore dollar to appreciate over the last two years, our CPI inflation in the last quarter would have averaged 6.5 per cent, instead of the 4.1 per cent that was actually recorded,’ he said.

However, there is a limit to this strategy as it can hurt the Republic’s economic performance and growth, he warned.

An overly strong Singapore dollar can bring inflation down, but at the cost of lower growth and higher unemployment.

Secondly, Singapore is stepping up the diversification of its food sources so as to minimise spikes in the prices of imported foods.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) is helping private importers buy from new overseas sources and the government will also continue to work with retailers to increase public awareness of cheaper food choices and substitutes.

The third way has been the government’s support of home ownership, especially through the heavy subsidies provided to lower-income Singaporeans to own a home.

This insulates Singaporeans, especially retirees, from increases in rental costs which are a significant long-term concern in other countries, he said. In the US, for example, about a fifth of older Americans rent their homes, with rentals accounting for close to one-third of their monthly expenditures.

Fourthly, the government provides assistance directly to Singaporeans who face problems coping with the cost of living, such as through the Workfare Income Supplement scheme and GST Offset Package.

‘This approach of helping those in need directly is better, and more sustainable than taking reflex actions such as imposing price controls on essential goods,’ he said, adding that the latter will only lead to negatives like hoarding and black markets.

Finally, the government aims to keep the economy competitive and build up capabilities for strong economic growth.

‘This is the best offset to global inflation – to educate and train up our people, attract new investments, create jobs, and sustain good growth of incomes for our whole population.

‘If global inflation stays high, all countries will be affected by it and we will not be able to totally insulate ourselves. But there is no reason why we cannot keep growing, and keep outperforming,’ he stressed.

 

Source: Business Times 16 Feb 08

China’s economy may grow around 10% in 2008: IMF

Its MD says a faster pace of appreciation of yuan is needed to address economic challenges

(BEIJING) China’s economy is likely to grow around 10 per cent this year despite a global slowdown stemming from the US sub-prime mortgage crisis, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said yesterday.

Mr Strauss-Kahn said he had agreed with Premier Wen Jiabao and central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan on the need for China to run a continued tight monetary policy to contain investment growth and inflation.

The inflation-adjusted exchange rate of the yuan, measured against the currencies of China’s main trading partners, has been moving in the right direction recently, Mr Strauss-Kahn told a news conference during a two-day visit to Beijing.

‘However, we encourage a faster pace of appreciation that would be helpful for addressing China’s key economic challenges and would also contribute to preserving global economic stability,’ he said in a prepared statement.

The central bank, which keeps the currency on a tight leash, let the yuan rise yesterday to 7.1760 per US dollar, the highest since it was revalued by 2.1 per cent in July 2005 and cut free from a dollar peg to float within narrow bands.

The yuan has now appreciated by 13 per cent against the dollar since then. But it has gained much less when measured against a basket of currencies and, to the ire of European policy makers, is actually worth less against the euro than it was in July 2005.

Relations between the IMF and China have been strained since the fund introduced new currency surveillance rules last June. Beijing objected to the rulebook, which will make it easier for the fund to determine whether a country is pursuing policies that lead to a fundamentally misaligned exchange rate in order to boost exports. China regards the new framework as a ploy by the United States to enlist the fund in its campaign for a stronger yuan.

The dispute has delayed the completion of the fund’s 2007 report on China detailing economic consultations between the two sides.

Mr Strauss-Kahn sidestepped a question on whether the yuan was fundamentally misaligned, saying the decision was one for the IMF’s board. But he said he had sought to make the case to Chinese policy-makers that a more flexible exchange rate would contribute both to a better-balanced Chinese economy and to global stability.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 16 Feb 08)

Priority is curbing inflation: PM Singh

Rising prices last year caused Congress party to lose power in three states

(NEW DELHI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that inflation hurts the poor the most, indicating that controlling prices was the government’s top priority.

‘There have been some impatient editorials about the sacrifice of growth at the altar of inflation,’ Mr Singh said at a conference here yesterday. ‘I see things differently. Inflation is an iniquitous tax. It is essential that we ensure that the poor are not adversely affected by high inflation.’

India, the world’s fastest growing major economy after China, may slow for the first time this year since 2005, as the highest interest rates in six years hurt consumer demand and investments. While companies seek conditions that favour faster growth, Mr Singh may prefer a firmer grip over inflation, with general elections just a year awayin a country where more than half the people live on less than US$2 a day.

‘Slowing growth is unacceptable to us,’ said Habil F Khorakiwala, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and managing director of drugmaker Wockhardt Ltd, before Mr Singh’s speech.

‘Interest rates must be brought down to stimulate demand.’ Reserve Bank of India governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy refrained from reducing interest rates at the last monetary policy meeting on Jan 29 on concern that rising oil and food prices will stoke inflation.

The yield on the benchmark nine-year bonds held losses after Mr Singh’s comments, rising two basis points to 7.47 per cent at 12.30 pm in Mumbai. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point. The benchmark stock index was little changed from Thursday’s close.

India’s inflation slowed to 4.07 per cent in the week ended Feb 2 from a year earlier, near a five-month high.

While the pace of price gains is low in relation to historical data, it is still high by world standards and must be reduced, the central bank’s deputy governor Rakesh Mohan said on Thursday.

Rising prices last year caused Mr Singh’s Congress party to lose power in three states and fall further behind in the most populous province of Uttar Pradesh. The party faces 10 state elections this year and general elections before May 2009. People’s tolerance level of inflation is 4 per cent, according to Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram.

India’s statistics office on Feb 7 said that India’s US$906 billion economy may expand 8.7 per cent in the 12 months to March 31, the weakest pace in three years. Growth was 9.6 per cent in the last financial year.

‘I am confident that this year, too, we will be able to sustain 9 per cent growth and hold the price line at acceptable levels,’ Mr Singh said. He said that construction of new roads, railway tracks, airports and other infrastructure was the ‘cornerstone’ of India’s development.

The prime minister said that civil aviation was going through an ‘unprecedented boom’ with two new international airports poised to start operations in the next few weeks in the southern cities of Hyderabad and Bangalore, apart from the ongoing modernisation of the airports in New Delhi and Mumbai.

Mr Singh said that the country’s railway system has undergone ‘revolutionary transformation’ in the past few years and expects companies to soon start investing in building logistics parks, railway stations and railcars.

He said that the planned 2.2 trillion rupee (S$78.5 billion) investment in roads in the next five years will further boost the nation’s infrastructure. He reiterated India’s plan to almost double spending on infrastructure to 9 per cent of gross domestic product by 2012. India’s growth is led mainly by domestic consumer and investment demand, and that was another reason to be optimistic about the nation’s growth prospects as the global economy shows signs of shrinking this year, Mr Singh said.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 16 Feb 08)

Citigroup funds may be in trouble: paper

(NEW YORK) Citigroup Inc has barred investors in one of its hedge funds from withdrawing their money, and a new leveraged fund lost 52 per cent in its first three months, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

The largest US bank suspended redemptions in CSO Partners, a fund specialising in corporate debt, after investors tried to pull more than 30 per cent of its roughly US$500 million of assets, the newspaper said.

Citigroup injected US$100 million to stabilise the fund, which lost 10.9 per cent last year, the newspaper said.

The fund’s manager, John Pickett, left following a dispute with Citigroup executives and complaints from investors after he tried to back out from committing more than half the fund’s assets to buy leveraged loans tied to a German media company, the newspaper said.

That matter was settled when CSO agreed to buy US$746 million of the loans at face value, though they were trading at 86 per cent to 93 per cent of face value, it said.

Meanwhile, Falcon Plus Strategies, launched Sept 30, lost 52 per cent in the fourth quarter, after betting on mortgage-backed and preferred securities and making trades based on the relative values of municipal bonds and US Treasuries.

Some collateralised debt obligations in the fund traded at 25 per cent of their original worth, the newspaper said.

Both funds are run in Citigroup’s alternative investments unit. That unit was briefly headed last year by Vikram Pandit, who in December replaced Charles Prince as Citigroup’s chief executive.

Old Lane Partners, a hedge fund that Mr Pandit founded and sold to Citigroup last year, has also had weak performance, falling 1.8 per cent in January, the newspaper said.

Since June, Citigroup has disclosed some US$30 billion of writedowns and losses tied to sub-prime mortgages, complex debt and deteriorating credit.

The problems contributed to a record US$9.83 billion fourth-quarter loss. Profit that quarter in the alternative investments unit fell 89 per cent to US$61 million.

Citigroup was not immediately available for comment.

A spokesman told the newspaper that CSO and similar hedge funds are subject to comprehensive risk oversight, and that Falcon Plus’s returns suffered from volatile fixed-income markets.

Shares of Citigroup closed on Thursday at US$25.74 on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 16 Feb 08)

US on verge of recession: Greenspan

(SAN FRANCISCO) Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said the US economy is on the verge of its first recession in six years as falling home values hurt consumer spending.

‘We are clearly on the edge,’ Mr Greenspan told a group of energy-industry executives at the Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ 27th annual CERAWeek conference in Houston. He reiterated comments from last month that the odds of an economic contraction are ’50 per cent or better’.

Mr Greenspan’s view has evolved from a year ago, when he saw a one-in-three chance of a recession, citing slowing profit growth and becoming one of the first economists to warn of the risk. Now, Wall Street firms including Merrill Lynch & Co and Goldman Sachs Group Inc are forecasting a contraction in the aftermath of the worst housing downturn in a quarter century.

Fed chairman Ben S Bernanke, Mr Greenspan’s successor, acknowledged ‘downside’ risks to the expansion on Thursday, while telling lawmakers he expects growth to pick up later this year. He reiterated the central bank is prepared to take ‘timely’ action to aid the economy as needed.

‘While we are at stall speed in the US at the moment, we haven’t yet seen the discontinuity that characterises a recession,’ Mr Greenspan said during a question-and-answer session on Thursday.

‘American business was in such extra-good shape before this problem hit. Otherwise we would be talking about how long and how deep. We are not there yet.’

The lack of available credit ‘hasn’t been a major problem yet for American business’, he added. Consumer spending has been slowed by falling home values, which leaves homeowners with less capital to borrow against, Mr Greenspan said.

‘Home prices will continue to weaken,’ the 81-year-old former Fed chief said. ‘When a bubble breaks, you go into primordial fear.’ The former chairman, a Republican, gave a nod toward Republican presidential candidate John McCain, comparing him with ex-president Ronald Reagan.

‘John McCain has the same roots as Reagan, being a Goldwater Republican.’

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 16 Feb 08)

BUDGET 2008: More office sites in the offing to ease space crunch

AT LEAST 20,000 sq m of office space – equivalent to 20 floors or more of an Suntec City block – will be freed up to help the private sector deal with the space crunch.

The initiative will kick in by early next year.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the tight supply of office space, a short-term problem, stemmed from the surge in business growth, which has brought higher rents in its wake.

‘Although office space on average still costs 30 per cent to 50 per cent less in Singapore than in Hong Kong and Tokyo, the pace of cost increases has been rapid and unsettling for businesses,’ said Mr Tharman.

The Government is even planning to relocate several agencies out of the pricey and congested central business district (CBD). A Jones Lang LaSalle report said these could include the Economic Development Board at Raffles City, the Singapore Land Authority at Temasek Tower, and the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance at The Treasury.

Mr Donald Han, the Singapore managing director of property consultant Cushman & Wakefield, said the move was a practical one: ‘It’ll create some breathing space for the private sector. Government agencies will be better off, as they won’t need to incur the opportunity cost of prime CBD rental.’

Mr Tharman said the Government has released 15 transitional office sites and vacant state properties, which will yield 150,000 sq m of additional office space.

‘Companies are already relocating to some of these sites and to our new regional centres,’ he said.

He noted that the shortage should ease over the medium term, given the completion of big projects now under construction. These include Phases 1 and 2 of the Marina Bay Financial Centre, the Marina View sites and South Beach.

‘By 2012, we will have an additional 1.4 million sq m of office space,’ said Mr Tharman.

The Government will also defer projects worth about $1 billion to ease the pressure on construction costs. This follows a decision last November to postpone public-sector building projects worth at least $2 billion.

But the latest deferment will not affect key projects such as the expressways, the Downtown Line or NUS University Town.

 

Source: The Straits Times 16 Feb 08

New home sales remain low with cautious property market

Developers launching fewer units as fears over US slowdown, stock volatility linger

CAUTION remains the watchword in the property market, with buyers still kept on the sidelines by concerns over the United States economy and choppy stock markets.

Developers sold just 316 new homes last month – a tad up on the 305 sold in December – and launched only 410 units, compared with December’s 445.

Prices also reflected the uncertain mood and remained largely flat, with overall median prices showing a slight dip.

The removal of the deferred payment scheme has brought transactions to a more sustainable level, according to property services firm Jones Lang LaSalle.

There were some bright spots. Wilkie 80 in Wilkie Road was sold out, while Waterfront Waves in Bedok Reservoir Road reported favourable sales. They made up 41 per cent of all new units sold last month, according to the sales figures out yesterday.

The pinch was felt most in the high-end sector, with few homes sold and none above $4,000 per sq ft (psf).

This is a sign that the high-end segment may be experiencing a ‘challenging period’, said Knight Frank director of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak.

The new figures, which came from developers but were released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, show that some of the heat may have come out of the market.

Median prices for new private homes, excluding executive condos and landed homes, fell 3.2 per cent from $1,124 psf in December to $1,088 psf last month.

The lowest transacted price was $737 psf for a unit at Coastal View Residences in Jalan Loyang Besar, while Scotts Square in Scotts Road achieved the highest at $3,671.

Projects outside the central region performed best. There were more sales, and the 220 units launched marked the highest since last August.

Buyers at the leasehold Waterfront Waves picked up 79 units and pushed prices up to $909 psf.

In the mid-end segment, Wilkie 80 was sold out at a median price of $1,544 psf. Zenith in Zion Road, launched in December, sold 22 units, while 12 out of 50 units at Mount Sophia Suites went for a median price of $1,719 psf. At the landed project Pavilion Park, 24 terrace houses sold at between $1.8 million and $2 million.

Consultants project lower sales this month, as the Chinese New Year festival will deter buyers from venturing into the market.

‘However, developers are likely to maintain prices at current levels as they monitor the market situation,’ said Mr Li Hiaw Ho, the executive director of CBRE Research.

Mr Mak expects sales volume for the first quarter to remain thin due to uncertainties over the US economy and stock market turbulence. More developers are delaying or reviewing launches, particularly high-end ones.

‘The challenging period experienced in the high-end segment is expected to continue, but the fall in the volume could be compensated by the steady volume in the other segments,’ he added.

Colliers International director for research and consultancy Tay Huey Ying said: ‘We see the mass and mid-end segments supported by en bloc sellers looking for replacement homes.’

Developers could end up launching and selling up to 9,000 new private homes this year, compared with 14,811 last year, she said.

 

Source: The Straits Times 16 Feb 08

New trouble brewing as another debt market falters

Investors now refusing to buy US securities regarded not too long ago as safe as cash

NEW YORK – SOME investors got a big jolt from Goldman Sachs this week: Goldman, the most celebrated bank on Wall Street, refused to let them withdraw money from investments they had considered as safe as cash.

The investments at issue are so-called auction-rate securities, instruments at the centre of the latest squeeze in credit markets.

Goldman, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and other banks have been telling investors the market for these securities is frozen – and so is their cash.

Banks typically pitch these securities to corporations and wealthy individuals as safe alternatives to cash. The bonds are, in fact, long-term securities, but banks hold weekly or monthly auctions to set interest rates and give holders the option of selling the securities.

Only this week, almost 1,000 of these auctions have failed. The banks also refused to support the auctions, leaving many investors wondering when they will get their money back.

‘Investors have lost confidence in the liquidity of these instruments,’ said Mr G. David Mac- Ewen, the chief investment officer for fixed income at American Century Investments, a mutual fund company. ‘These types of instruments depend on new investors showing up to own the securities.’

The US$330 billion (S$467.7 billion) auction-rate market is dominated by municipalities and other tax-exempt institutions like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which issued some auction securities and had its interest rate soar to 20 per cent on Wednesday. Closed-end mutual funds, student loan companies and corporations also issue such securities.

A failed auction does not mean the securities go into default because the issuer continues to pay interest at the higher rate – the ‘fail rate’.

The market, however, has a troubled history. In 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reached a US$13 million settlement with 15 investment banks, and the industry agreed to impose a voluntary code of conduct for the auction-rate market.

The SEC investigation centred on how bidding was conducted for these securities. Critics complain that investment banks have the upper hand in bidding because they can bid after seeing what other investors have bid.

Brokerage firms are not legally obligated to make a market in auction securities or give clients a price, even if there is not one in the market. Clients who are unable to sell, however, are likely to argue that they were wrongly put into long-term securities when their intention was to buy shorter-term debts.

‘If these were pitched as cash equivalents, if that is what the broker said they were, the banks may be held responsible for losses and clients’ inability to get their money out,’ said Mr Jacob Zamansky, a securities lawyer who represents individual investors.

The situation is an awkward one for investment banks and brokers that have had to tell clients that their cash is frozen until at least the next auction – if not longer.

One affluent New Jersey family has sued Lehman Brothers for the declining value of its cash in auction-rate securities. Lehman has said it acted properly.

 

Source: NEW YORK TIMES (The Straits Times 16 Feb 08)

Estate duty R.I.P.

Death tax removal makes S’pore an attractive place for wealth to be built up, says Tharman

IN A LONG awaited move, the Government yesterday read the last rites for the death tax here.

The tax, known as estate duty, had been imposed if the assets of a person who died exceeded certain limits.

It was abolished with immediate effect yesterday.

The Government believes the move will boost the wealth management industry by encouraging both foreigners and Singaporeans to base their assets here.

Although the move had been keenly awaited, it drew gasps of surprise when announced by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament yesterday.

Calls to abolish the tax had grown more frequent in recent years as growing affluence meant that even the middle classes were caught by it.

A key grouse was that the exemption limits were lopsided. An estate could, for example, own up to $9 million worth of residential property and not pay the duty.

But everything above $600,000 in cash, shares and other non-residential assets was subject to the duty.

Mr Tharman said the exemption limits tended to ‘affect the middle- and upper-middle-income estates disproportionately compared to wealthier ones’.

The intended target of the tax – the super rich – had been able to set up trusts and other legal arrangements that allow them to minimise the duty.

Estate duty was taxed at 5 per cent on the first $12 million of applicable assets and 10 per cent on amounts above. Assets of $1 million, for example, incurred duty of $50,000.

The duty had been whittled down considerably over the years. In 1984, the top rate was a hefty 60 per cent.

Mr Tharman said that removing the duty was not just a practical and expedient measure but also in Singapore’s collective interest.

‘If we make Singapore an attractive place for wealth to be invested and built up, whether by Singaporeans or foreigners who bring their assets here, it will benefit our whole economy and society, not just the individuals who build up their wealth.’

This will be a boost to the wealth management industry here, said KPMG Tax Services executive director Ooi Boon Jin. ‘It will encourage the inflow of foreign talent. People will bring money here, sink their roots here and invest here,’ he added.

On average, the Government collected about $75 million a year in estate duty.

Mr Tharman is encouraging people with accumulated wealth to think of how they can use the savings from the scrapping of the tax to make a contribution to society.

Already, one foreigner living here is making such plans after learning of the move.

Mr Iain Ewing, 62, founder of management training consultancy Ewing Communications, plans to channel half of the estate duty savings to fund university scholarships and other causes. The rest will go to his son, Tejas, 27.

Mr Ewing, a Canadian with permanent residence here, has worked here for 23 years and expects the savings to be millions of dollars.

Two likely recipients are Singapore Polytechnic – where he previously worked as a media producer – and his alma mater, the University of British Columbia in Canada.

‘It’s great that some of my money can do more for other people after I’ve gone,’ he added.

 

Source: The Straits Times 16 Feb 08

Robust economy, property market lead to $6.4b surplus

THE Government racked up a Budget surplus of $6.45 billion last year, the highest since 1994, outdoing even the most bullish of market forecasts.

Unexpectedly strong economic growth and a runaway property market sent tax revenues surging, putting paid to an initial projection of a $700 million deficit.

But such a sizzling performance is not expected in the next financial year, with an $800 million deficit pencilled once handouts and changes announced in the Budget are accounted for.

Economists, who were predicting a surplus of between $4 billion and $5 billion, said they were caught out by higher-than-expected consumption and real estate-related tax collections.

They were also surprised by the size of ‘budget hongbaos’ that will be given out next year. ‘It’s a very generous Budget, with much more special transfers than last year,’ said United Overseas Bank (UOB) economist Ho Woei Chen.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam yesterday told Parliament the unexpected surplus came on the back of exceptionally strong economic growth.

‘We started the year expecting a growth rate of 4.5 to 6.5 per cent, which was also in line with market forecasts. With actual growth at 7.7 per cent, corporate and personal income taxes came in some $1 billion higher than projected.’

As anticipated, strong company profits sent income tax collections from businesses up 6.2 per cent to $9 billion despite a cut in the corporate tax rate from 20 per cent to 18 per cent.

Bigger wages and a tight job market sent personal income tax revenues up 18.1 per cent to $5.56 billion.

The strong economy also boosted goods and services tax (GST) revenues.

While a rise was factored in, given last July’s GST hike from 5 per cent to 7 per cent, the final figure was $1.2 billion higher than initial estimates. This, said Mr Tharman, was due mostly to higher consumption.

He added that the rate hike raised $1.4 billion in revenues, matching the size of benefits paid out in the year through the GST Offset Package and Workfare.

Economists said a buoyant economy enabled retailers to raise prices to pass on the GST hike. The higher prices, in turn, translated into more GST paid.

But the biggest surprise came from the red-hot property market, said Mr Tharman. Stamp duty rose to a record $3.8 billion, $2.3 billion higher than expected. Other property-related revenues also clocked in $1.1 billion above projections.

‘These were large gains, out of the ordinary, and which we cannot expect to see very often,’ he said.

UOB’s Ms Ho noted that net investment income contributions seemed low at $2.3 billion, given buoyant markets last year. ‘It’s the lowest since Sars-hit 2003.’

Mr Tharman said the Government is amending the Constitutional framework to let it draw on more investment income from its reserves. This would allow it to further enhance tax competitiveness.

A Bill will go before Parliament later this year.

In the year ahead, operating revenues are predicted to inch up 0.5 per cent. Spending will rise 12.5 per cent and special transfers will more than double.

Citigroup economist Chua Hak Bin said the estimates are very conservative as in previous years. ‘We could see another surplus next year.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 16 Feb 08

IMF predicts 10% growth in China

Beijing – THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) still sees China’s economy expanding 10 per cent this year.

‘The current financial crisis, which began in the United States housing market, is spreading to affect the real economy in the US and elsewhere,’ IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn told reporters in Beijing yesterday.

‘There will be some impact on China, but we still expect the economy to expand by 10 per cent this year.’

The World Bank this month cut its forecast for China’s growth to 9.6 per cent. The world’s fourth-largest economy expanded 11.4 per cent last year, the fastest pace in 13 years.

China is trying to slow inflation that is close to an 11-year high without triggering a sharp slowdown.

‘It’s even more necessary than before to have high growth in China,’ the IMF head said, referring to a slowing global economy.

‘More domestic-demand-driven growth will be what China needs rather than export-led growth.’

Mr Strauss-Kahn urged faster appreciation of China’s currency, the yuan, and said the IMF and China agreed the nation still needed a tight monetary policy to contain investment growth and inflation.

He said faster appreciation ‘would be helpful for addressing China’s key economic challenges and would also contribute to preserving global economic stability’.

China’s currency has climbed 1.7 per cent versus the US dollar this year. It traded at 7.181 to the US dollar yesterday.

Mr Strauss-Kahn said that ‘for a number of months now, the real exchange rate is moving in a good direction’.

 

Source: BLOOMBERG NEWS (The Straits Times 16 Feb 08)

US economy: Paulson, Bernanke play it cool

WASHINGTON – THOUGH economic officials have to avoid hysteria so that they don’t cause panic, United States Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, testifying before the US Senate banking committee on Thursday, went so far the other way that they seemed bored.

Mr Paulson could have been the secretary of ennui as he slouched in the witness chair before the Senate banking committee.

‘Are we headed towards or in danger of being in a recession?’ asked Democratic Senator Bob Menendez.

‘I don’t have a crystal ball,’ the secretary said.

‘Aren’t you underestimating – not paying enough attention to, the severity of the problem in the credit markets?’ inquired Democratic Senator Charles Schumer.

‘It’s one thing to identify a problem,’ Mr Paulson returned. ‘It’s another to know exactly what to do about it.’

Democratic Senator Bob Casey, asked about home foreclosures and the ‘sub-prime crisis’.

Replied Mr Paulson, ‘I didn’t create this problem.’

No, but if he and his fellow Bush economic advisers get any more laid back about the state of the US economy, they will have to make their next appearance before Congress in a horizontal position.

For much of the exchange, Mr Paulson leaned back, draping his left arm over the back of his chair.

Mr Bernanke looked down, admired the chamber’s marble walls, and stroked his beard.

Even a few Republicans on the panel were troubled by the lethargy. ‘Chairman Bernanke, I just want to give you a heads-up: When you see something coming, don’t put it off,’ suggested Senator Jim Bunning.

Senator Bob Corker tried a semantic question to draw out the witnesses. Is it a housing ‘crisis’ or a ‘correction’?’

‘I don’t use loaded words,’ came Mr Paulson’s inevitable reply, ‘so I’ve been using ‘correction’ because it is a correction.’

By contrast, committee chairman Chris Dodd used the word ‘crisis’ 12 times in his opening statement alone.

Mr Paulson must have known he sounded off-key, because towards the end, he threw in disclaimers such as ‘I don’t mean to be overly complacent’ and ‘I don’t mean to sound heartless’.

Heartless? No. But complacent was harder to avoid.

Mr Schumer noted that Wall Street bankers ‘seem much more worried than you guys’.

‘Some see more worry than others,’ Mr Paulson replied.

Clearly.

 

Source: NEW YORK TIMES (The Straits Times 16 Feb 08)

Govt raises inflation forecast, sees peak in H1

Forecast upped to 4.5-5.5% as S’pore feels effect of rising food and oil prices

(SINGAPORE) Singapore’s inflation will get worse before it gets better, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said yesterday, expecting inflation to peak in the first half of 2008 before moderating in the second half.

The government raised its full-year forecast for the headline consumer price index (CPI) to 4.5-5.5 per cent, from 3.5-4.5 per cent previously.

Rising food and oil prices globally have filtered through to domestic prices of food and oil-related items here, MTI said.

Last year, Singapore’s CPI grew 2.1 per cent year-on-year after growing by one per cent in 2006. It hit a 25-year high in December when it grew 4.4 per cent year-on-year. It rose 4.1 per cent for the fourth quarter.

MTI second permanent secretary Ravi Menon noted that part of the increase in the headline inflation here was due to the one-off effect of the two percentage-point hike since last July and technical factors like the revision of annual values of HDB flats.

‘We expect inflation to get worse before it gets better,’ he said at a media briefing yesterday. ‘The revised forecast is premised on fairly high inflation rates in the next few months. This is only to be expected given the very low base in the first half of last year.’

While inflation is expected to taper off in the second half during which the effect of the GST hike wanes, a return to the low inflation rates enjoyed in recent years will not happen any time soon as commodity prices are still likely to rise albeit at a slower pace than in 2007, Mr Menon added.

When asked if the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) would be prompted to change its monetary policy stance given the higher inflation outlook, MAS deputy managing director Ong Chong Tee said the current monetary policy stance ‘remains appropriate and the macroecnomic and inflation outlook has been broadly consistent with the planning parameters’.

This policy of a modest and gradual appreciation of the S$NEER policy band has been in place since April 2004. Mr Menon noted that the current inflation outlook has to be viewed in the context of historically low inflation. For the last 40 years, Singapore’s inflation rate averaged 1.5 per cent, excluding the two oil shocks in the mid

1970s and early 1980s. Average inflation for the past 10 years was half that rate at 0.7 per cent due to the weak global demand in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis, the downswing of the technology cycle and disinflationary impact from the emergence of China and other economies.

After years of low inflation, the world is now returning to ‘a more normal inflation environment,’ Mr Menon said.

But he added that the fact that long-term bond yields remain low and reflect that despite the current spike in inflation, the long-term inflation outlook remains low. And as long as jobs are created and wages grow, the impact of inflationary pressures will be dampened.

A recent report released by the Department of Statistics shows that household income has risen faster than inflation. Average household income from work was 32.4 per cent higher than 10 years ago, while consumer prices rose by a smaller 7.6 per cent over the same period.

Ministry of Manpower divisional director (manpower planning and policy) Jeffrey Wong said he expects employment growth to be sustained into 2008, after adding a record 236,600 jobs in 2007.

 

Source: Business Times 15 Feb 08

Sembawang E&C bags $400m IR contract

SEMBAWANG Engineers and Constructors (SEC) has been awarded a $400 million contract by Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd to build the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort’s (IR) North Podium comprising the casino, theatres and retail arcade.

But with a construction period of just 15 months, pressure will already be on Singapore’s biggest construction company to start work soonest possible.

Saying that the timeframe is ‘pretty tight’, SEC president and CEO Alwyn Bowden added: ‘The Marina Bay Sands (MBS) North Podium is a fast-track project which will require our dedicated attention.’

In November 2007, SEC was also awarded a $463 million contract for architectural, civil and structural works at the Bayfront MRT station in Marina Bay.

Mr Bowden added: ‘We are especially well placed to handle (the MBS) project as we are also constructing the new Downtown Line Bayfront MRT station in Marina Bay, which will connect directly to the resort’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) centre.’

The MBS project involves building the substructure and superstructure of the North Podium, and will have four upper levels and a four-storey basement.

Work is expected to start this month and is set for completion in April 2009.

Apart from maintaining a 24-hour construction site, fast-tracking construction will also require coordination with various parties involved who will invariably have inputs. Mr Bowden explained that they have to ‘make sure changes do not impact on construction process’.

On the complexity of the project, and the possibility of delays, he said: ‘We have tried to cover whatever eventuality that may arise.’

As far as equipment and building materials are concerned, Mr Bowden is confident that its supply chain management has sources and prices under control. ‘We have not found materials to be a problem,’ he added.

Mr Bowden could not say how many other construction companies had been in the running for the coveted contract, but he did say that there was ‘an emphasis on price’, when it came to bidding.

However, with construction company services in high demand at the moment, the days of ‘razor- thin margins’ are over.

Mr Bowden added: ‘For construction companies, the volume (of work) means that one can look around and be a bit more choosy.’

 

Source: Business Times 15 Feb 08

Playfair Rd site gets bullish top bid of $142 psf ppr

Sim Lian unit’s offer is whopping 63% above second highest bid

A 60-YEAR leasehold industrial site at Playfair Road has attracted a top bid of $142 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr) from Sim Lian Development unit Trio Link Development – a record price for such a site in the Ubi/Paya Lebar/Eunos area.

The tender for the 92,870 sq ft reserve-list plot attracted 12 bids, reflecting growing interest in industrial property as it comes into play amid the breather in residential and office values, says Colliers International director (industrial) Tan Boon Leong.

Sim Lian’s top bid of $33 million, or $142.13 psf ppr, was a huge 63 per cent above the next highest bid of $20.23 million, or $87.13 psf ppr, by Orion-Three Development.

Orion group, which is linked to Indonesian interests, has also been active in state tenders for industrial sites. It clinched plots at Serangoon North Ave 4 and Changi North St 1 in 2006.

Asked about Sim Lian’s aggressive bidding in yesterday’s tender, executive director Ken Kuik said the company had been encouraged by recent demand for strata-titled flatted and ramp-up factories at its Vertex project at Ubi Ave 4/Ubi Link.

‘We’ve sold about 160 of the 200 units released since September last year, achieving an average price of about $330 psf,’ he said.

The eight-storey property has 552 strata-titled units. Sim Lian is developing it on a 60-year leasehold site it won at a state tender in 2006.

Like the Playfair Road site contested yesterday, the Ubi plot is zoned for Business 1, allowing clean and light industrial and warehouse uses.

Mr Kuik said Sim Lian plans to develop the Playfair Road plot into a 13-storey project with strata-titled units for sale.

He noted that the site is just a few minutes’ walk from Upper Paya Lebar MRT Station on the Circle Line.

Colliers’ Mr Tan estimates Sim Lian’s breakeven cost could be around $260 psf, considering the saleable area for such industrial developments can exceed the maximum permitted gross floor area by 15-20 per cent after factoring in features like terraced areas and air-con ledges.

‘This is the first time a 60-year leasehold industrial site is being sold in the area, which traditionally has freehold industrial properties. That may have added to the plot’s attraction,’ he suggested.

Property consultants say the $142 psf ppr that Sim Lian offered for the Playfair plot surpasses the last high achieved in the Ubi/Paya Lebar/Eunos area – $85.50 psf ppr for a 60-year plot at Eunos Link/Kaki Bukit Avenue 1 in 1996.

However, yesterday’s top bid is still shy of the island-wide high of $170 psf ppr achieved late last year for a 30-year leasehold site near Commonwealth MRT Station.

The other bidders in yesterday’s tender were KNG Development, Soilbuild Group, Prosperity Realty (linked to Hotel Royal’s Lee family), HLH Development & Brothers (Holdings), Superbowl Land, See Young Investments, Lian Beng Group unit LB Property, Boustead Projects, Boon Keng Development and  Lim Huay Ren, which placed the lowest bid of $12 million or $51.68 psf ppr.

 

Source: Business Times 15 Feb 08

Slower growth, higher prices and uphill climb ahead

2008 growth forecast cut to 4-6% in shadow of US uncertainty

(SINGAPORE) The Singapore economy will see lower growth and higher inflation this year, but remains wellpoised to ride the upturn when it comes, says the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). Most economists agree.

In view of heightened risks in recent months, chiefly a sharp US slowdown, MTI has shaved its forecast of Singapore’s 2008 GDP growth by half a percentage point to 4-6 per cent, which would be down a few notches from 2007′s revised 7.7 per cent pace.

The previous 2008 forecast in November had already factored in a US slowdown, MTI second permanent secretary Ravi Menon explained at a media briefing yesterday on the 2007 economic results.

But downside risks have since risen. And while it is not known if the US economy is in fact in recession, ‘what we do know is that the US is already experiencing a significant slowdown in growth, and the key uncertainty now is the length and severity of this slowdown’, said Mr Menon.

The new official 4-6 per cent growth forecast captures two scenarios. The

brighter outlook sees – as current conditions suggest, by MTI’s reading – the United States tackling a mild recession in the first half but recovering in the second half on the back of strong fundamentals, and fiscal and monetary stimulus.

Singapore will then likely grow in the upper half of the 4-6 per cent forecast, supported by healthy, if slower, growth in Europe and Japan, and a robust Asia.

But if the US falls into a severe recession brought on by a prolonged credit crunch, with knock-on effects in Europe and Asia, ‘sentiment-sensitive and external-oriented’ sectors in Singapore, such as electronics, wholesale trade and financial services, will be hit hardest, said Mr Menon.

Even sectors with more of a regional exposure, such as health care and tourism, will not be totally unscathed. The Singapore economy will then likely grow nearer the 4 per cent end of the forecast range.

‘In either scenario, we’re looking at slower growth this year,’ he said.

Already, GDP growth slowed to 5.4 per cent in Q4 last year – down from Q3′s 9.5 per cent pace, and lower than early estimates of 6 per cent for Q4. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, GDP contracted by 4.8 per cent.

According to MTI, the Q4 slowdown reflected more the plunge in biomedical manufacturing – which fell nearly 30 per cent in Q4 because of cyclical pharmaceutical downtime – rather than any impact from the US.

Asked about the chances of Singapore slipping into a technical recession – if the economy sees a second consecutive negative quarter in quarter-on-quarter terms – Mr Menon said: ‘Most of the simulations we have done don’t show that outcome.’

MTI’s economics and strategy director, Cheang Kok Chung, also declared it ‘quite unlikely’, adding that there is ‘good potential’ for a biomedical rebound in Q1.

In fact, some of the more upbeat private sector economists see a quick rebound in GDP – in the current quarter.

While OCBC Bank’s treasury economist Selena Ling thinks the slowing growth momentum from Q4 2007 ‘could bleed over into Q1 2008′, others such as HSBC’s Prakriti Sofat see the Singapore economy bouncing back strongly in Q1. One reason – she is confident of a pharmaceutical turnaround ‘over the next few months’.

A recent Merrill Lynch report also voiced confidence that the Singapore economy is ‘well-positioned to cope with a US downturn this time’.

And P K Basu, the ever bullish chief economist (Asia ex-Japan) of Daiwa Institute of Research, declares: ‘I see no reason for even one iota of pessimism about the Singapore economy.’

Apart from the pharmaceutical bleed, Q4 was hardly a weak quarter at all, he says, pointing out that the rest of the economy, notably electronics, was ‘accelerating’.

But the ‘most eye-popping number’, Mr Basu said, was the Q4 manufacturing investment commitments of $8.7 billion – that spells jobs and output down the road.

Depending on the pharma sector rebound, he reckons GDP growth could hit 7-8 per cent in Q1.

‘I see no significant downside risk to my 7.4 per cent GDP growth forecast for 2008,’ he tells BT.

MTI – which yesterday also raised its 2008 inflation forecast for Singapore to 4.5-5.5 per cent – would be cheered by such confidence.

‘Growth will be lower and inflation higher, not a great combination,’ Mr Menon said. But the slowdown – after four years of above-trend growth – towards the economy’s underlying potential will help ease supply-side constraints and relieve cost pressures, he added.

Beyond 2008, the economy is well-positioned for any pick-up, he said. ‘Notwithstanding the weakened macroeconomic picture, the economy remains in fundamentally good shape structurally.’

Rising costs – and Singapore’s ever-strong fiscal balances – set the stage for the Budget today. Rebates and other goodies for lower-income households, as well as a cut in the personal income tax rate, are widely anticipated.

 

Source: Business Times 15 Feb 08

US economic outlook has worsened: Bernanke

Fed chief signals that he is ready to lower key interest rate

(WASHINGTON) Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress yesterday that the United States’ economic outlook has deteriorated and signalled that the central bank is ready to keep on lowering a key interest rate – as needed – to shore things up.

In prepared remarks to the Senate Banking Committee, Mr Bernanke said that the one-two punch of the housing and credit crises has greatly strained the economy. Hiring has slowed and people are likely to tighten their belts further as they are pinched by high energy prices and watch the value of their single biggest asset – their homes – weaken, he warned.

‘The outlook for the economy has worsened in recent months, and the downside risks to growth have increased,’ Mr Bernanke said. ‘To date, the largest economic effects of the financial turmoil appear to have been on the housing market, which, as you know, has deteriorated significantly over the past two years or so.’

Mr Bernanke also said that the ‘virtual shutdown’ of the market for sub-prime mortgages – given to people with blemished credit histories or low incomes – and a reluctance by skittish lenders to make ‘jumbo’ home loans exceeding US$417,000 have aggravated problems in the housing market.

Unsold homes have piled up and foreclosures have climbed to record highs.

‘Further cuts in homebuilding and in related activities are likely,’ Mr Bernanke cautioned.

Given all the dangers facing the economy, the Fed ‘will act in a timely manner as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks’, he said, indicating that additional rate cuts were likely.

Mr Bernanke said that his forecast is for the economy to continue to endure a ‘period of sluggish growth’. That would be ‘followed by a somewhat stronger pace of growth starting later this year’ as the effects of the Fed’s rate cuts and a newly enacted stimulus package begin to be felt. The US$168 billion package, which includes rebates for people and tax breaks for businesses, was speedily passed by Congress last week and signed into law on Wednesday by US President George W Bush.

Even though Mr Bernanke’s forecast envisions an improving economic picture later this year, the Fed chief said that it was nonetheless ‘important to recognise that downside risks to growth remain, including the possibilities that the housing market or the labour market may deteriorate to an extent beyond that currently anticipated’ or that credit will become even harder to secure.

That is why, for now, Mr Bernanke indicated that the Fed is still inclined to lower interest rates.

Yet, that could change, depending on how the economy and inflation unfold.

‘A critical task for the Federal Reserve over the course of this year will be to assess whether the stance of monetary policy is properly calibrated to foster our mandated objectives’ of promoting healthy employment and economic growth while keeping inflation under control.

Inflation should moderate, Mr Bernanke said. Yet, last year’s steep run-up in oil prices is a reminder that the Fed cannot let down its inflation guard and must keep close tabs on the inflation expectations of investors, consumers and businesses. Those expectations can affect their behaviour, which can affect the economy.

‘Any tendency of inflation expectations to become unmoored or for the Fed’s inflation-fighting credibility to be eroded could greatly complicate’ the Fed’s job, he said.

The troubles in the housing and credit markets threaten to push the US economy into its first recession since 2001 – if it has not fallen into one already.

 

Source: AP (Business Times 15 Feb 08)

Singapore cuts growth forecast to 4% to 6%

Concern over a US recession leads to revision; inflation estimate is raised to 4.5%-5.5%

SINGAPORE has lowered its economic growth forecast for the year but also tipped that consumer prices are expected to rise faster than previously thought.

Concern over a possible United States recession led the Government to trim its growth forecast from an earlier estimate of 4.5 to 6.5 per cent to between 4 and 6 per cent. Last year, the economy expanded by 7.7 per cent.

Its inflation estimate has gone the other way with prices now tipped to rise on average between 4.5 and 5.5 per cent, up from a three-month-old forecast of between 3.5 and 4.5 per cent.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) released the revised figures yesterday and raised its concerns about the US economy.

‘Compared to three months ago, there is broad consensus now that the US economy is entering a slowdown,’ said the ministry.

‘The key uncertainty is over the length and severity of this slowdown, which will in turn influence how the rest of the world and key industries are affected.’

The MTI’s new forecast shaves 0.5 percentage point off the estimate made three months ago and reflects the recent welter of bad news from the US.

MTI Second Permanent Secretary Ravi Menon told a news conference that the earlier forecast had already factored in a US slowdown.

But ‘since then, the downside risks have increased somewhat… The US is really experiencing a significant slowdown in growth.’

Economists were not surprised at the revision, given the deteriorating global outlook. Many had slashed their Singapore estimates in light of surprisingly weak data out of the US in recent weeks.

The MTI said current conditions suggest that the US will probably enter a mild recession in the first half but recover as the year goes on.

‘Strong fundamentals, coupled with fiscal and monetary stimulus, will help to support recovery in the second half,’ it said.

In this scenario, the local economy should grow in the upper half of the forecast range, said the MTI. But if the US has a more severe recession, growth here will be nearer the lower end of the range.

Electronics exporters and the trading and logistics firms that serve the industry will take the biggest hit, said the MTI, while financial services will be more vulnerable to weaker market sentiment.

The slower growth comes after four years of robust expansion and is still within the economy’s underlying potential growth rate, said Mr Menon.

Singapore should also escape a technical recession, defined as two straight declines in quarter-on-quarter growth. ‘Most of the simulations we have done do not show that outcome,’ said Mr Menon.

Action Economics economist David Cohen said, ’4 to 6 per cent is realistic. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.’

On the inflation front, prices are set to rise even faster than the record-breaking pace of recent months, due largely to surging oil and food costs.

Mr Menon said inflation will peak by the middle of the year before moderating.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said its policy of allowing a slightly faster appreciation of the Sing dollar remains appropriate.

Economists said the Government may announce today a more generous Budget to help low-income earners cope with escalating living costs.

This would allow the MAS to focus more on the slowing economy when it reviews its policy stance in April.

 

Source: The Straits Times 15 Feb 08

Economy grows 7.7%, beats expectations

Growth is somewhat dampened by surprise downward revision for fourth quarter

SINGAPORE’S economy grew even faster than expected last year, with a robust 7.7 per cent expansion fuelled by the booming construction and services sectors.

That was a notch up from an earlier estimate of 7.5 per cent – thanks to upward revisions to growth in the first nine months.

There was, however, a sting in the tail of the latest figures, published yesterday by the Trade and Industry Ministry (MTI).

The strong full-year growth was somewhat overshadowed by fourth-quarter figures, which turned out to be weaker than previously estimated.

Economic growth slowed to 5.4 per cent from October to December, said the MTI, lower than the 6 per cent previously estimated and far below the 9.5 per cent recorded in the third quarter.

On a seasonally-adjusted, quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy shrank 4.8 per cent, more than the 3.2 per cent estimated earlier by the Government The downward adjustment surprised economists, who said the final quarter would best indicate prospects for this year.

Already, the fast-deteriorating United States economy has prompted the MTI and other economists to cut their growth forecasts for this year.

‘We think the slowing growth momentum from the fourth quarter could bleed over to the first quarter of this year,’ said OCBC Bank economist Selena Ling.

Last year’s strong growth was powered by the red-hot construction and services sectors. The once-mighty manufacturing sector turned out to be the laggard.

Construction growth hit a record 19.6 per cent, the fastest pace since 1996, while services expanded 8.1 per cent, accelerating from 2006′s 7.5 per cent.

Manufacturing growth, on the other hand, slowed to 5.8 per cent from 11.9 per cent in 2006.

It was a similar picture in the fourth quarter, except that manufacturing growth was an exceptionally dismal 0.2 per cent.

The revised data came a month after advanced estimates for the fourth quarter were published at the start of the year. The early figures were based largely on the first two months of the quarter, so the latest statistics suggested that conditions worsened considerably in December, analysts said.

The adjustment was mainly due to services, which grew 7.7 per cent instead of 8.3 per cent, and manufacturing, which fared even worse than an earlier predicted 0.5 per cent expansion.

‘Financial services have peaked as we have forecast. The industry will likely moderate further. The heady days of high-teens growth are over,’ said Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng. He said the fall in financial services growth to 15.9 per cent in the fourth quarter suggested that the industry peaked in the third quarter, when it surged 20.1 per cent.

OCBC’s Ms Ling said manufacturing would remain lacklustre in the current quarter, if not the first half of the year. ‘With the global slowdown story, we do not expect any quick turnaround on the manufacturing front,’ she said.

Still, some economists are not ringing the alarm bells just yet.

HSBC economist Prakriti Sofat said while US growth slowed in the fourth quarter, that was not the cause for Singapore’s weak figures.

Analysts pinpointed the volatile pharmaceutical industry as the main reason for the slowdown.

‘Manufacturing output plunged, largely due to protracted production delays and technical problems at Singapore’s biggest pharmaceutical plant,’ said Barclays Capital economist Leong Wai Ho. ‘Supply bottlenecks were the main cause, not a drop-off in demand.’

Indeed, pharmaceutical’s recent sharp contraction could well set it up for a big rebound in the next few months, said analysts.

More optimistic economists are also looking to resilience in domestic and regional economies.

The construction sector is expected to continue growing robustly, given the strong pipeline of both public and private projects.

Sectors such as tourism and real estate services will be partially shielded from a US slowdown by neighbouring economies, on which they are more dependent, said the MTI.

 

Source: The Straits Times 15 Feb 08

Troubled banks want to transfer some mortgage risks to US govt

New proposal for delinquent borrowers to refinance into loans backed by state

THE United States banking industry, struggling to contain the fallout from the mortgage debacle, is now proposing to move some of the risk for troubled housing loans to the government, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

One proposal, being urgently advanced by officials at Credit Suisse Group, calls for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a US government agency, to guarantee mortgage refinancing by some delinquent borrowers, said the paper.

Credit Suisse officials have met senior officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which runs the FHA, and other policymakers to discuss the proposal, it added.

The risk: If delinquent borrowers default on their refinanced loans, the federal government would have to absorb the loss, said the Journal.

Just a few months ago, such a proposal would have been considered unreasonable. But the fact that the plan is receiving serious consideration suggests the level of concern in Washington, as housing problems worsen and efforts to tackle them fall short, said the report.

A plan by banks to rescue bank-affiliated funds that had invested in mortgage-backed securities fell through, while a hotline for troubled borrowers has helped only a small fraction of those in need.

This week, the government announced its latest idea – Project Lifeline – a mortgage-industry plan that would give seriously delinquent borrowers extra time to avoid foreclosure.

The Credit Suisse plan would open the way for nearly 600,000 sub-prime borrowers, many of whom are delinquent on their mortgages, to refinance into loans backed by the FHA, said the Journal.

Around 1.3 million borrowers in the US were either seriously delinquent or in foreclosure at the end of the third quarter, according to the latest figures from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Credit Suisse said the plan would make US$89 billion (S$126.1 billion) in sub-prime loans eligible for refinancing.

The FHA was created during the Great Depression and provides mortgage insurance for qualified borrowers.

The agency grew less popular during the recent housing boom because credit was widely available, but it has recently rebounded as some credit markets have dried up. Home owners with FHA insurance pay premiums into an insurance fund.

Another bank, JPMorgan Chase, is putting together its own proposal to expand the number of home owners who could refinance into FHA-backed loans, said the Journal.

 

Source: The Straits Times 15 Feb 08

Japan’s growth beats forecasts, but economists remain cautious

TOKYO – JAPAN’S economy grew at double the expected rate in the last quarter of 2007, but some economists saw this as the last hurrah before a slowdown this year.

Strong capital spending and exports helped drive quarterly growth to 0.9 per cent, compared with a forecast 0.4 per cent rise, government data showed yesterday.

The bullish growth – an annual pace of 3.7 per cent compared with a yearly growth rate of just 0.6 per cent in the United States in the October-December quarter – eased investor worries about Japan slipping into a recession, pushing Japanese stocks up 4 per cent.

But economists were less upbeat.

‘The Bank of Japan will likely keep open the option of keeping the current interest rate levels or even rate cuts, as situations have gotten a lot worse since January, and on growing uncertainty about the economy,’ said Mr Yasuhiro Onakado, chief economist at Daiwa SB Investments.

Japanese exports have so far held steady despite the slowdown in the US economy from late last year due to strong demand from elsewhere in Asia and other emerging economies.

The gross domestic product data showed net exports contributed 0.4 percentage point of the 0.9 per cent growth.

Still, as weak US economic data in recent weeks has stoked fears of a recession in America, many economists worry that Japan may not be able to count on exports for much longer.

That, in turn, could curb corporate capital spending, possibly jeopardising the Bank of Japan’s view that strength in corporate activity will spill over to households.

Said Economics Minister Hiroko Ota yesterday: ‘The US economy is slowing down. There is a good chance of Japan’s economic growth slowing temporarily.’

 

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 15 Feb 08)

Revision of DC rates expected to be ‘moderate’

Consultants project smaller DC rate rise for residential and commercial use

THE coming March 1 revision of development charge (DC) rates – payable to enhance the use of sites or build bigger projects on them – is generally expected to be more moderate than the past couple of revisions, which imposed steep rises.

That’s because on the whole, land price increases have slowed considerably in the the past few months. And collective sales, which traditionally account for the lion’s share of private-sector land sales, have virtually ground to a halt, property consultants have told BT.

‘We believe collective sale brokers are unlikely to feel inspired by the upcoming DC rate revisions,’ says Jones Lang LaSalle’s regional director and head of investments Lui Seng Fatt.

Most consultants project smaller average DC rate increases for residential and commercial use this time. However, JLL is predicting bigger hikes for industrial and hotel use, as hotel and industrial sites sold at government land sale (GLS) tenders in recent months have fetched top bids significantly higher than the land values implied by current DC rates.

This can be attributed to the shortage of hotel rooms and strong demand for industrial space by office tenants looking for cheaper backroom space, says JLL’s head of research (South-east Asia) Chua Yang Liang.

For non-landed residential use, JLL reckons the average DC rate will go up just about 5 per cent come March 1, compared with the 58 per cent hike that took effect on Sept 1, 2007.

CB Richard Ellis executive director (investment sales) Jeremy Lake also reckons that on the whole, non-landed residential DC rates are unlikely to rise significantly, although there may be hikes in locations where land sales have taken place at prices significantly above values implied by the prevailing Sept 1, 2007 DC rates.

Market watchers point to examples such as Westwood Apartments in Orchard Boulevard, Toho Garden in Yio Chu Kang Road and 15 terrace houses at Jalan Bunga Raya in the Balestier/Novena area.

Agreeing, Credo Real Estate executive director Yong Choon Fah says the increases for such locations could be in the order of 30-40 per cent, while the average islandwide hike will be much smaller at 5-20 per cent.

DC rates – revised every six months, on March 1 and Sept 1 – are listed according to use (for example, non-landed residential, commercial, and industrial) and 118 locations across Singapore.

Savills Singapore director Steven Ming, who predicts a 0-10 per cent rise in the average non-landed residential DC rate, reckons both prime and suburban/mass-market areas will see only moderate increases.

However, bigger rises may be seen in mid-tier locations like Pasir Panjang, Balestier, Upper Bukit Timah, Hillview and Upper Thomson, where condo prices have risen 20-40 per cent in the past six months.

For landed residential use, JLL projects the average increase this time could be 8-15 per cent – again lower than the 11.3 per cent rise in Sept 2007.

Jones Lang LaSalle expects the rates for places like Dunsfold Drive and Binchang Rise in the Bishan/Ang Mo Kio area, Sentosa and Chestnut Drive to increase about 20-25 per cent, as market values of landed properties in these locations are significantly above the values implied by prevailing DC rates.

JLL reckons that after a 42 per cent spike in the average commercial-use DC rate on Sept 1 last year, the rate could still rise a further 30-35 per cent come March 1. However, it believes rates may generally stay put in the central business district (CBD), and expects increases mostly in suburban locations, particularly in the Jalan Sultan and Toa Payoh areas. In the past few months in these areas, commercial GLS sites have been sold at prices more than double the land values implied by prevailing DC rates.

Agreeing, Credo’s Ms Yong sees the islandwide increase in commercial DC rates around 5-15 per cent, with increases mostly outside the CBD.

Market watchers highlight the sharply different top bids for two white sites – with stipulated minimum office components – at Marina View in the CBD sold just three months apart late last year, reflecting how swiftly investor sentiment in the office market turned cautious.

JLL estimates industrial DC rates will appreciate around 30 per cent on average, compared with a 2.2 per cent increase last round. It also expects the average hotel DC rate to go up 30-35 per cent, after a 23 per cent hike last round, pointing out that hotel sites offered under the GLS programme at Upper Pickering Street and New Market Road/Merchant Road have been sold at premiums of 80 and 64 per cent respectively above prevailing DC rate based land values.

The coming round of DC rate revisions will have ‘minimum impact on the already slowing collective sales market’, according to Savills’ Mr Ming.

But for en bloc sites with a significant DC component, and where the reserve price has been fixed by owners, a substantial DC increase will make it even harder to find takers, says Credo’s Ms Yong.

JLL’s Dr Chua reckons owners of properties in fast-changing neighbourhoods like Buona Vista and Telok Blangah – and possibly Paya Lebar and Jurong East, which are earmarked by the government for development into business hubs – will be watching the coming DC rate changes as they may set the tone for potential change-of-use applications.

Potential bidders for reserve list sites under the GLS programme will also be watching the revisions to get a sense of the Chief Valuer’s sentiment before making any applications for these sites to be released, says Dr Chua.

 Source: Business Times 14 Feb 08

Average monthly household income grows at fastest pace in 10 years

But income inequality widens despite govt effort

(SINGAPORE) Income inequality in Singapore widened last year to its most pronounced state since at least the year 2000, with some high-income households enjoying big pay increases while the less well-off saw more modest wage gains, according to a report released yesterday by the Singapore Department of Statistics.

On average, almost everyone is somewhat better off than they were. Among Singapore resident households with at least one working member, average monthly income from work rose 9.1 per cent to $6,830 in 2007, from $6,260 the previous year, the fastest growth in the last decade, the report said.

However, the average was skewed by disproportionately higher income gains for the wealthiest households. The average monthly household income for the top 10 per cent earners rose 10.5 per cent to $20,240, up from $18,310 in 2006.

For the bottom 10 per cent, income from work increased just 3.9 per cent to $1,210, or 1.9 per cent after inflation.

When computed on a per household member level, average income per member for the bottom decile was only $310, up $10 from $300 in 2006. For the top decile, income per household member was $7,940, up from $6,990.

Domestic workers are considered household members, although their wages are not included in the income figures.

The income disparity even among the well-off in Singapore was also large, according to the report. The average household income of the 80th to 90th percentile of earners was $11,190, compared to $20,240 for the top decile.

In 1995, the equivalent figures in nominal terms were $6,990 and $11,190.

The big disparities in income gains resulted in a sharp jump in the Gini coefficient – a statistical measure of income inequality – from 0.472 in 2006 to 0.485 in 2007. The figure has grown every year since it was first computed using the current method in 2000, when the value was 0.442, according to the Department of Statistics.

Gini coefficient was 0.44 in 1990 and 0.47 in 1999, but those figures were computed using a different methodology and coverage, said the department.

Government measures to alleviate the income disparity have failed to narrow the gap.

After adjusting for government taxes and benefits, including last year’s Goods and Services Tax offset package, the Gini coefficient was 0.460 in 2007, still a substantial rise from 2006′s similarly adjusted figure of 0.439.

Most developed countries such as Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Japan, have coefficients of between 0.25 and 0.40, while South American countries like Brazil and Argentina tend to score between 0.40 and 0.60.

However, cross-border comparisons are difficult because each country’s figures may be computed differently.

But the Gini coefficient may underestimate total income and wealth inequality in Singapore as the Department of Statistics used only income from work – wages, as well as business proceeds for the self-employed. Income from dividends, rentals and interest was not included, and such income is likely to accrue more to high earners.

Also, the Department of Statistics only included employed households – defined as households with at least one working member – in its computation of the Gini coefficient, leaving retiree or unemployed households out of the picture.

 

Source: Business Times 14 Feb 08

S’pore world’s 7th most expensive office location

Prime office rents rose 78% last year to US$130.48 psf per annum: report

SINGAPORE has jumped 10 places to become the world’s seventh-most expensive office location.

According to Cushman & Wakefield’s (C&W) report on office occupancy costs, prime office rents rose 78 per cent in Singapore last year. Occupancy costs are now at US$130.48 psf per annum, up from US$954 psf per annum in 2006.

Rental increases here were the fifth highest globally last year, after locations in Turkey and Norway. However, Singapore still ranks below London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Mumbai, Moscow and Paris in terms of occupancy costs.

London remains on the top of the list, with occupancy costs rising 30 per cent to US$312 psf per annum followed by Hong Kong, with an increase in occupancy costs of 40 per cent to US$238.58 psf per annum.

Paris, which was put in sixth place, registered occupational costs of US$141.57 psf per annum.

C&W executive managing director (South-east Asia) Arsh Chaudhury said that rental growth in Singapore was led by strong demand from the banking and services sectors coupled with limited supply of quality office space.

He said: ‘Whilst the effect of a US slowdown on Asia will be muted, the uncertainty of growth plans of US institutions, especially banks, may possibly result in an easing of demand.’

But he said that C&W expects the upward trend in rents to continue, albeit at a slower pace.

The C&W report compares office occupancy costs in 203 locations in 58 countries. New entries include Kyiv in Ukraine at 16th place with occupancy costs at US$78.22 psf per annum, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam at 17th place with occupancy costs at $75.81 psf per annum.

Of these 203 locations, 79 per cent registered rental growth, 20 per cent showed stable growth and only one per cent experienced a fall in rentals compared to 6 per cent in 2006.

Perhaps also interesting to note is that of the bottom 10 locations in C&W’s list of 58 countries, neighbouring South-east Asian cities took up four spots.

Bangkok took the 58th position, with office occupancy costs at US$26.52 psf per annum, preceded by Jakarta, at 57th position with occupancy costs at US$26.54 psf per annum, Manila in 50th place with occupancy costs at US $33.75, and Kuala Lumpur 49th, with occupancy costs at US$34.39 psf per annum.

Source: Business Times 14 Feb 08

Property trusts may soon debut in India

Move will encourage foreign real estate funds to partake in construction boom

(HONG KONG) India could follow other Asian countries this year in creating a market for real estate investment trusts (Reits), making it easier for investors to buy into the country’s sparkling new office blocks and shopping malls.

The move would encourage foreign property funds, which are keen to join India’s construction boom but are not allowed to own finished buildings.

Reits or domestic funds could buy the assets they develop, offering them an easier way to exit the projects and take profits on their investments.

In December, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) issued draft guidelines for Reits, which pay most of the rent from their buildings to investors as dividends.

But people in the industry say that unless tax breaks are also offered by the government in its upcoming budget, a local Reit market would be a non-starter.

The Sebi proposal contained no mention of the kind of tax breaks that kick-started other property trust markets, but it could be fleshed out in the federal budget due on Feb 29.

‘It should’ve happened five years back,’ said Nayan Shah, chief executive of private developer Mayfair Housing Ltd, which wants to create a property trust of rental housing in Mumbai as soon as Reit regulations are in place.

‘Unfortunately, the government was never able to get over its regulations and set up a proper market,’ he said.

Arshdeep Sethi, head of capital markets at developer RMZ Corp, said he expected a market to be up and running within a year, adding that RMZ would also look to sell buildings into a trust.

‘We wouldn’t mind exploring it. It’s an instrument that will be interesting for investors and developers,’ Mr Sethi said.

Property trusts, long established in the United States and Australia, have caught on in Asia in the last five years, with investors enjoying stable yields that are higher than government bonds, and share price rises when rents and property values rise.

However, they have not been immune from global stock market turmoil, with Singapore’s Reit index , for example, dropping 20 per cent in the second half of last year and a further 13 per cent so far this year, in line with the broader market.

Reits would be riskier in India’s immature market, where a three-year building boom sparked by easing of foreign investment rules barely masks crumbling colonial-era infrastructure.

Overbuilding in some areas worries investors. For example, around 50 malls are being built in the New Delhi suburb of Gurgaon. With the information technology industry thriving, around 100 million sq ft of office space is to be built over three years, equal to all the office blocks in Washington DC.

An economy growing at around 9 per cent per year has helped push up Mumbai office rents by a fifth in the last year, but as new developments pop up in India’s main cities, old areas can also quickly go out of fashion.

Reits would help cut risks for property investors in the country by improving information flows – as listed securities they provide a constant stock market valuation of buildings and must divulge rental and other data.

As they hanker for new assets to lift investor returns, Reits would also give foreign funds new buyers for their buildings.

Although rules were eased on inward investment in the construction industry in early 2005, overseas investors are still not allowed to own finished buildings.

The likes of Citigroup, Warburg Pincus and Morgan Stanley have preferred to build and sell housing, but could now be tempted into commercial property.

Office yields are about 9-10 per cent in India.

Lacking a home market, a couple of Indian firms are looking to list Reits in Singapore, with the country’s most valuable developer, DLF Ltd, working on a US$1.5 billion initial public offering scheduled for the second quarter of this year.

As well as having an established Reit market, Singapore is attractive to Indian developers as its 10-year bonds trade at 2.3 per cent compared to India’s 7.5 per cent. So trusts, which need to draw investors with a premium to bond yields, can be sold to investors at higher prices in Singapore than in India. Reits in Singapore and Japan now offer yields of about two percentage points above domestic bonds.

But some analysts expect the Reserve Bank of India to push domestic listings by restricting the sale of more Indian assets into Singapore-listed trusts, in an effort to curb capital inflows that threaten to overheat the property market.

‘It might be too much for the RBI,’ said Param Desai, an analyst at India Infoline. ‘In the near future they might come up with a policy to restrict the flow of assets to Singapore.’

For an Indian Reit market to take root, DLF chief financial officer Ramesh Sanka said the government must waive stamp duty and introduce the tax ‘pass through’ that made Singapore’s US$19 billion Reit market popular.

Trusts there do not pay corporate tax but investors pay tax on dividends at their personal rate.

Sebi’s guidelines stipulated that Reits should pay at least 90 per cent of annual income as dividends and borrow no more than 20 per cent of gross assets, but no mention was made of tax.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

New Zealand property prices, sales slip in Jan

(WELLINGTON) New Zealand house prices fell and sales dropped in January as the previously hot market continued to cool, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (Reinz) said yesterday. The Reinz national median house price fell 1.4 per cent to NZ$340,000 (S$379,000) from December, but was 4 per cent higher than a year earlier.

Institute members sold 5,186 houses in the month compared with 5,597 the month before, a fall of 7.3 per cent. The figure was down 31.5 per cent on a year earlier, and was the lowest since January 2001.

National President Murray Cleland said the fall in the number of house sales meant lower prices could be expected. ‘Although we would prefer to see the next two months trends first, it is obvious that people need to be prepared for prices to move back in 2008,’ he said in a statement.

The New Zealand housing market had now turned to buyers’ advantage, Mr Cleland said. ‘It is clear from the days to sell and low sales volumes that there is a growing tension between the prices vendors are seeking and what buyers are offering – buyers have been quick to sense that the market is weakening and they are ready to take advantage of that situation.’ The median number of days taken to sell a house rose to 49 days from 36 in December and 38 days a year ago. It was the longest period to sell in eight years.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand left its official cash rate unchanged at 8.25 per cent last month, saying that the housing market, one of its major inflation worries, was continuing to slow. The latest Reuters poll has most of the 16 economists surveyed expecting no change to rates until later this year.

Prices fell in seven of the Reinz’s 12 regions and rose in five. Prices in Auckland City, the country’s biggest population and commercial centre, fell 6 per cent and by just under one per cent in the capital Wellington.

Government agency Quotable Value reported on Monday that house prices grew 8.9 per cent in the year through January, compared with 10 per cent in December. It was the fifth-straight month that growth in house prices eased.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

Global commercial property sales top US$1t mark

(LOS ANGELES) Global commercial real estate sales rose to US$1.04 trillion for the first time last year, driven by Blackstone Group LP’s purchase of Equity Office Properties Trust and land transactions in Asia.

One third of the total was office space, with nearly 1.2 billion square feet of offices worth US$434 billion changing hands, New York-based real estate research firm Real Capital Analytics said in a report on Tuesday.

In 2006, there were about US$700 billion of total global transactions.

Billionaire Sam Zell’s sale of Equity Office for US$39 billion including debt a year ago was the biggest leveraged buyout up to that time.

That deal and Blackstone’s subsequent sale of buildings from the Equity Office portfolio added US$66 billion to last year’s global transactions, Real Capital said in its report.

‘In the US, transaction activity was a record year, but it was all privatisation and massive portfolios,’ Robert White, president and founder of Real Capital, said in an interview.

‘In Asia, development land is where all the dollars are flowing to.’

Office space represented 32 per cent of total sales last year, Real Capital said. The total square footage that sold is equivalent to all of the office space in London, Tokyo and New York combined, the research firm said. With more than US$209 billion in transactions, the US accounted for half of global office sales.

Real Capital identified 114 cities worldwide that each had more than US$1 billion of commercial property sales.

Forty-eight of those cities were in North America, 35 were in Europe and 21 were in Asia. Real Capital limits the size of transactions it tracks to US$10 million or greater, meaning the total size of the global commercial real estate market last year may have been closer to US$1.5 trillion, the company said.

Almost half of all land acquired by developers around the world last year was in China. Land transactions totalled US$50.7 billion in China, more than double the US$25 billion in the US, the next most active country.

Land purchases in China and other parts of Asia were driven by a lack of available buildings in many growing regions, Mr White said. ‘There are really very limited institutional-quality, income-producing assets that are sold in the open market or even exist,’ he said. Commercial property sales slowed in the US and Europe in the fourth quarter of last year as the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage industry spread from the residential market to commercial lending, making it harder for real estate investors to find financing.

Growth in Asia will help make up for this year’s expected drop in transactions in the US and Europe, Mr White said.

‘The US was a little bit more than half of global volume in 2007,’ he said.

‘In 2008, it will most likely be well under half. Emerging markets will continue to grow.’

Worldwide property transactions this year likely will ‘be comparable’ to 2007, Mr White said. ‘It might even be off a little bit.’

Real Capital collects transactional information for property sales and financings and generates reports on capitalisation rates, market trends, pricing and sales volume.

The company compiled the Global Capital Trends report using its database of transactions. The sources of its information vary by country.

Its data partners include Property Data in the UK, Thomas Daily in Germany and HBS-Research in France.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

Bernanke ‘upbeat’ US will avoid recession

He tells lawmakers the economy may pick up dramatically

(WASHINGTON) US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke voiced optimism in a closed-door meeting with Republican lawmakers on Tuesday that the United States would avoid slipping into a recession, Senator Charles Grassley said.

‘He was very upbeat about our not going into recession,’ the Iowa Republican said in an interview on Bloomberg Television.

Mr Grassley said Mr Bernanke expects the economy ‘to pick up pretty dramatically’ after growing slowly in the first half of this year. The Fed chairman called the economic stimulus package passed by Congress ‘helpful’ and indicated he’s willing to cut rates further if necessary to aid the economy, Mr Grassley added.

‘I got the sense that he’s ready to move if he needs to move,’ Mr Grassley said, adding that a rise in inflation may not be sharp enough to prevent additional rate reductions.

‘Inflation did come up and it’s going to be a little bit higher than what they like,’ Mr Grassley said. ‘But they believe that it’s nothing that’s going to stop their decreasing interest rates if they need to be decreased.’

Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on that committee, described Mr Bernanke as ‘optimistic but guarded’ in Tuesday’s meeting.

Another Senator said Mr Bernanke expects the downtrodden US housing sector to improve by the end of the year.

‘He let us believe that the housing situation should begin to ameliorate by the end of the year,’ said Pete Domenici, a New Mexico Republican.

Homeowners in the US threatened with foreclosure would in some instances get a 30-day reprieve under an initiative the Bush administration announced on Tuesday.

Dubbed ‘Project Lifeline’, the programme will be available to people who have taken out all types of mortgages, not just the high-cost sub-prime loans that have been the focus of previous relief efforts and have contributed to a decline in the US economy.

The programme was put together by six of the largest US financial institutions, which service almost 50 per cent of the mortgages in the US.

These lenders say they will contact homeowners who are 90 or more days overdue on their monthly mortgage payments. The homeowners will be given the opportunity to put the foreclosure process on pause for 30 days while the lenders try to work out a way to make the mortgage more affordable to homeowners.

‘Project Lifeline is a valuable response, literally a lifeline, for people on the brink of the final steps in foreclosure,’ Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson said at a joint news conference with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

He said the goal was to provide a temporary pause in the foreclosure process ‘long enough to find a way out’ by letting homeowners and lenders negotiate a more affordable mortgage.

 

Source: Bloomberg, Reuters, AP (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

IEA’s demand forecast cut on US slowdown

(LONDON) The International Energy Agency, an adviser to 27 industrialised nations, cut its forecast for 2008 global oil demand because of the slowing US economy and said the underlying trend was ‘even weaker’.

The agency reduced its forecast for demand this year by 200,000 barrels a day to 87.6 million barrels a day. That lowers the annual growth rate to 1.9 per cent, down from 2.3 per cent in last month’s Oil Market Report.

‘The economic environment is clearly paramount,’ the Paris-based agency said yesterday in its report. ‘An economic slowdown has the potential to change the landscape over the next few years: depending on how deep it is and how long it lasts.’

Global growth may slow to its weakest pace since 2003 this year as the US credit crisis spreads through the world’s largest economy, the International Monetary Fund said in its latest economic report. The US economy lost 17,000 jobs in January, the first drop in more than four years.

Global oil demand will be 88 million barrels a day in the first quarter of 2008, 170,000 barrels a day less than last month’s forecast, the IEA said.

‘We are watching carefully the US economy and how other international organisations see the situation,’ IEA executive director Nobuo Tanaka told reporters at an energy conference in Houston on Tuesday. The ‘downward trend is a major reason for this’.

Supply from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, whose members produce more than 40 per cent of the world’s crude, will need to average 31.8 million barrels a day this year in order to balance global demand, 100,000 barrels a day more than last month’s estimate, the report said.

Opec, scheduled to meet on March 5, held quotas unchanged at its meeting in Vienna earlier this month.

Officials said the group may cut crude production should slowing economies in the US and Europe threaten energy demand.

Crude prices have averaged more than US$90 so far this month in New York and would have to drop to around US$80 a barrel for Opec to act, Opec officials said last week.

The group pumped 32 million barrels a day in January, according to the IEA. Opec’s installed crude capacity is currently at 35 million barrels a day, an increase of 300,000 barrels a day from last month, thanks to revisions for Angola and Persian Gulf producers, the report said.

Global oil supply averaged 87.2 million barrels a day in January, an increase of about 750,000 a day from December, the IEA said.

New output from Brazil and the assumed recovery of production from December outages in Azerbaijan, Mexico and China led to the increase, according to the report.

Crude oil traded little changed yesterday after IEA made the forecast.

Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the state oil company, cut off sales of crude and fuel to Exxon Mobil Corp in retaliation for the freezing of US$12 billion in assets in a legal dispute.

‘The IEA had been over-estimating demand all over last year,’ said Oliver Jakob, managing director of Swiss firm Petromatrix. ‘They were way above everyone else, and now the slowdown in the US economy is another reason why they have further corrections to make.’

Crude oil for March delivery traded at US$92.89 a barrel, up 11 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 9.48am London time yesterday. On Tuesday, the contract fell 81 cents, or 0.9 per cent, to US $92.78 a barrel.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

Survey of economists signals US recession

(NEW YORK) According to Wall Street’s forecasters, the recession of 2008 is now unavoidable. That is, if you read between the lines of their predictions.

In a survey released on Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, forecasters said on average there was a 47 per cent chance that the economy would shrink in the first quarter of this year.

But the economists surveyed, many working for investment banks or Wall Street research firms, are an optimistic bunch, and every time they have become so worried over the last four decades, the economy has ended up in a recession.

There have been six recessions since 1968, the year that the quarterly survey of economists began. At the start of each one, economists put the odds that the economy would shrink in the current quarter at 40 per cent or more.

At times, the economists have either jumped the gun or said that a recession would last longer than it did.

In late 1979, for example, the forecasters said the economy was already likely to be shrinking; the National Bureau of Economic Research – widely considered the arbiter of business cycles – later said that the recession began in January 1980.

But the recession-probability index – which the Philadelphia Fed calls the Anxious Index – has yet to miss a recession or to signal one that never happened.

Its biggest blemish came in the first quarter of 1988, when forecasters put the odds of a negative quarter at 35 per cent. The economy then continued to grow for more than two years, before entering a recession in the summer of 1990.

In the latest survey, the forecasters also said there was a 43 per cent chance that the economy would shrink in the second quarter of 2008. Every time that reading has risen above 40 per cent, the economy has gone into recession.

 

Source: NYT (Business Times 14 Feb 08)

S’pore is world’s seventh most expensive office market

It jumps 10 spots in global ranking of occupancy costs by property consultancy

SINGAPORE has moved into the global top 10 most expensive office markets for the first time due to a severe office shortage.

A survey of office costs in 203 locations in 58 countries by global real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield saw the Republic jump 10 places to seventh spot.

This came after prime rents shot up by 78 per cent, on average, due to the tight supply.

The consultancy found that occupancy costs in Singapore – which include rents and other costs of running an office – hit an annual average of about US$130 per sq ft (psf).

Office rents, the largest component of occupancy costs, rose 40 per cent on average in the world’s top 10 office locations, it said.

Office rental rises in Singapore were also led by strong demand from the banking and services sectors, said Cushman & Wakefield’s annual Office Space Across The World report.

Worldwide, rents climbed by 14 per cent on average, compared with 10 per cent in 2006, it said.

London’s West End – where rents rose 30 per cent last year – remains the most expensive office location in the world, followed by Hong Kong, then Tokyo. Mumbai, Moscow and Paris were next on the ranking.

Another fast-rising Asian centre, Ho Chi Minh City, is now at 17th spot, with occupancy costs at US$75.81 psf a year, ahead of Sydney, Seoul and Shanghai.

The strong performances in India and Vietnam helped the Asia-Pacific region to achieve the strongest regional growth, with rents up 23 per cent over the course of last year.

Of the 203 locations Cushman & Wakefield surveyed last year, 79 per cent showed rental growth.

Singapore registered the fifth-highest increase in office rents in the world. Istanbul’s Levent district registered a 95 per cent rise in office rents, which was the highest annual growth in all locations.

‘Last year saw the fastest level of growth in office occupancy costs in many of the world’s top locations since the turn of the property cycle in 2001, with the strongest demand coming from the financial sector,’ said the firm’s head of business space research and consultancy, Ms Elaine Rossall.

‘We are unlikely to know the full effects of the current credit squeeze on the world’s main office locations until further into 2008.’

But last year’s strong rental growth is expected to ease this year, she said.

In Singapore, the United States sub-prime crisis has affected the expansion plans of some firms.

Last year, up to nine out of 10 companies had expansion plans. ‘But now, we could perhaps see five out of 10 companies looking to expand,’ said Mr Donald Han, Singapore managing director of Cushman & Wakefield.

‘We are still seeing new firms being set up, and these firms in the financial services sector must have a Raffles Place address.’

Office rental increases will be more moderate this year and next year, he added.

Instead of a 78 per cent rise in occupancy costs to US$130.48 psf a year – or about $15.44 psf a month on average – a 20 per cent increase is likely this year, he said.

But recent rental deals done at coveted buildings in Singapore, such as Republic Plaza and Millenia Tower, have already surpassed average levels.

For instance, the asking rents at Centennial Tower are now hovering at around $18.50 psf or more.

In Raffles Place, the asking rents for some prime Grade A office space have crossed the $20 psf mark.

Some tenants have complained that their office rents rose by as much as three times or even more when their leases came up for renewal.

The majority of Raffles Place office buildings are operating at 98 per cent to 99 per cent occupancy, so rents will not come down before a major chunk of supply comes onstream in 2010, said Mr Han.

That is when phase 1 of the huge Marina Bay Financial Centre will be ready.

Because of the steep increases, some bigger space occupiers are moving their non-frontline operations to suburban locations.

Some are reconfiguring their work space to make better use of it, property consultants said.

Others are looking to relocate to fringe areas or industrial locations.

These include the Beach Road corridor, conservation shophouses, business parks and transitional sites, where rentals are generally going at single digits – which is hard to find in Raffles Place.

 

Source: The Straits Times 14 Feb 08

Surging business costs worry Chinese chamber

SURGING business costs, brought on by last year’s increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST), higher office rents and rising oil prices, are chief among the worries of Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry members.

This was the finding of the chamber’s annual pre-Budget survey sent to all of its 4,000 corporate members in December and last month. It showed that members are hoping this year’s Budget, to be announced tomorrow, will address the issue of the rising costs of doing business.

Respondents believed that increased business costs caused by dearer raw materials such as oil and more expensive manpower, among other factors, had also led to lower customer sales. This caused corporate profits to fall even further.

Looking to the year ahead, respondents expressed fears that escalating taxes, levies and other charges might have an impact on businesses directly.

This would further erode Singapore’s competitiveness, especially when foreign competitors are able to undercut the Republic with lower overheads and labour costs, the chamber said.

On the list of wishes that the companies have is a lowering of government taxes and charges, especially corporate income tax.

‘Personal income tax should be reduced to 18 per cent. As for the corporate income tax, the Government could also consider increasing the ceiling of chargeable income qualifying for tax exemption,’ the chamber said in a statement yesterday.

In order to ensure Singapore continues to excel as a hub for meetings, incentive trips, conventions or exhibitions, the chamber also urged the Government to consider exempting such events from the GST to help local businesses cope with surging rents.

The respondents also called on the Government to relax laws to open up new labour sources.

‘For local enterprises, the respondents hoped that the Government could render more support, such as more assistance schemes for local companies to upgrade and train their workers,’ the statement said.

‘They also called for more pro-enterprise measures so that smaller companies could gain greater access to public projects.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 14 Feb 08

Household incomes up but rich-poor gap widens

THANKS to a booming economy and rising salaries, the average family in Singapore saw its household income rise by 9.6 per cent last year, the biggest increase in at least a decade.

But the rich again got richer in 2007. Higher-income households generally enjoyed bigger pay hikes than lower-income ones, widening the income gap between the rich and poor.

Data published yesterday by the Department of Statistics (DOS) showed that average monthly household income from work last year rose to $6,280, up from $5,730 the previous year.

Much of this was due to strong economic growth and a tight labour market, which drove up just about all salaries last year.

The data comes on the heels of a set of rosy numbers for Singapore’s workers. The unemployment rate is at a 10-year low, while average bonuses paid out are at their highest since 1990.

Even after accounting for inflation, income still grew 7.4 per cent, beating a previous high of 6.2 per cent in 2001 at the height of the dot.com boom.

Citigroup economist Chua Hak Bin said: ‘It’s very encouraging that workers are finally seeing big gains from the economic boom of the past few years.

‘The earlier part of the recovery from Sars in 2003 had benefited companies more, with wage gains being relatively modest in previous years.’

But yesterday’s figures from the DOS also showed that the wages boom was clearly skewed in favour of richer families.

Income per family member in the top 10 per cent income bracket surged 11.1 per cent.

This is compared to 3.3 per cent for the lowest 10 per cent income bracket.

The result is that the Gini coefficient, a widely used measure of income inequality in a country, has gone up to 0.485 from 0.472 – one of the biggest increases in the past seven years.

The DOS acknowledged this yesterday, saying that it reflected ‘higher wage increases for skilled and knowledge workers’.

Economists agreed, positing that the unusually large jump could be due to more top global business executives relocating here.

But they also noted yesterday that a widening income gap is to be expected in a globalised economy. This is because low-skilled workers may not have as much bargaining power even in a tight labour market as companies can easily turn to cheaper foreign labour.

This means the Government will have to help poorer families more as the spoils of globalisation are not equally distributed, they added.

Indeed, economists said that with economic conditions turning south, more help should be announced at tomorrow’s Budget statement as lower-income, lower-skilled workers may be more vulnerable.

Said DBS Bank economist Irvin Seah: ‘I would not be surprised to see many measures at this Budget to alleviate the lower-income families from the escalating costs of living.’

In this vein, the DOS noted yesterday that Government benefits targeting the lower-income, such as the Goods and Services Tax offset package offered at last year’s Budget, helped to narrow the income gap.

If those were taken into account, the Gini coefficient would come down to 0.46, it said.

 

Source: Business Times 13 Feb 08

Construction on MRT Downtown Line starts, ready by 2013

A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony in Chinatown yesterday marked the start of construction of the $12billion, 40-kilometre Downtown MRT line.

The ceremony, conducted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), took place at the Chinatown station on Downtown Line (DTL) Stage 1. Chinatown is one of six stations on the 4.3km fully underground line, which is scheduled to be completed by 2013. The other stations are Cross Street, Landmark, Bayfront, Promenade and Bugis.

‘The DTL will enable commuters on all existing MRT lines to transfer to the DTL with ease at designated interchanges,’ said LTA chairman Michael Lim.

‘By 2013, the completed DTL1 will link commuters to the exciting developments in Marina Bay, such as the Business Financial Centre and (Marina Bay) Sands Resort, as well as the Central Business District.’

The LTA says DTL1 will run through some of the busiest corridors in the city, easing congestion at major interchanges like Dhoby Ghaut and Raffles Place interchanges.

Five contracts, worth a total of $1.18 billion, have been awarded for DTL1. Two others, for Bugis and Promenade stations, will be awarded by the end of this year.

The DTL will be built in three stages, with Stage 2 to be completed in 2015 and Stage 3 in 2016. When fully completed, the DTL will strengthen the connectivity of the Rapid Transit System network and facilitate direct travel from the north-western and eastern areas of the island to the CBD and Marina Bay.

The DTL is expected to cater to over 500,000 passengers each day when fully operational.

‘The DTL is one of several extensive new rail and road projects that will be a significant boon to Singapore’s transport network, and to the economy,’ Mr Lim said.

The government has committed $20 billion for the DTL, as well as the in-progress Boon Lay Extension and Circle Line. Other plans include the Thomson Line, and extensions to the North-South line and East-West line.

By 2020, Singapore’s rail line will have doubled in length to 278km, said Mr Lim.

 

Source: Business Times 13 Feb 08

Global tech outlook cut on US recession fears

(SAN FRANCISCO) Two leading technology research firms have cut global technology outlook for this year, citing the risk of a US recession.

Forrester Research Inc said it now expects global technology purchases to grow 6 per cent in dollar terms this year, down from an earlier projection of 9 per cent. It expects US purchases of technology goods and services to grow 2.8 per cent, down from a previous forecast of 4.6 per cent.

The revisions assume a mild recession in the United States in the first two to three quarters of 2008, Forrester said on Sunday. The US accounts for about a third of global technology purchases.

‘While it is by no means certain that the US economy will in fact experience a recession, the risks of one are high enough to justify a more conservative outlook,’ Forrester vice-president Andrew Bartels said.

IDC also lowered its global outlook, citing similar concerns. It said on Monday it now expects worldwide IT market growth of 5 per cent this year, down from its previous forecast of 5.5 per cent and off from 2007′s 6 per cent.

‘While there is still debate over the severity and length of a US economic slowdown, we do know that the IT market will not escape unscathed from any significant downturn,’ said Stephen Minton, vice-president of Worldwide IT Markets at IDC.

Within technology, software investment will likely do better than the average, growing 8 per cent globally in 2008 but still down from 11 per cent last year, Forrester said.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 13 Feb 08)

Credit crisis spreading far beyond sub-prime loans

Repayments on prime mortgages, credit cards and car loans also affected

(NEW YORK) The credit crisis is no longer just a sub-prime mortgage problem.

As US home prices fall and banks tighten lending standards, people with good, or prime, credit histories are falling behind on their house payments, car loans and credit cards at a quickening pace, according to industry data and economists.

The rise in prime delinquencies, while less severe than the one in the sub-prime market, nonetheless poses a threat to the battered housing market and weakening US economy, which some specialists say is in a recession or headed for one. Until recently, people with good credit, who tend to pay their bills on time and manage their finances well, were viewed as a bulwark against the economic strains posed by rising defaults among borrowers with blemished, or sub-prime, credit.

‘This collapse in housing value is sucking in all borrowers,’ said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com.

Like sub-prime mortgages, many prime loans made in recent years allowed borrowers to pay less initially and face higher adjustable payments a few years later. As long as home prices were rising, these borrowers could refinance their loans or sell their properties to pay off their mortgages. But now, with prices falling and lenders clamping down, homeowners with solid credit are starting to come under the same financial stress as those with sub-prime credit.

‘Sub-prime was a symptom of the problem,’ said James Keegan, a bond portfolio manager at American Century Investments, a mutual fund company. ‘The problem was we had a debt or credit bubble.’ The bursting of that bubble has led to steep losses across the financial industry.

American International Group said on Monday that auditors found that it may have understated losses on complex financial instruments linked to mortgages and corporate loans.

The turmoil is also stirring fears that some hedge funds may run into trouble. At the end of September, nearly 4 per cent of prime mortgages were past due or in foreclosure, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. That was the highest rate since the group started tracking prime and sub-prime mortgages separately in 1998. The delinquency and foreclosure rate for all mortgages, 7.3 per cent, is higher than at any time since the group started tracking that data in 1979, largely as a result of the surge in sub-prime lending during the last few years.

The default rate for prime mortgages is still far lower than for sub-prime loans, about 24 per cent of which are delinquent or in foreclosure. Some economists note that slightly more than a third of American homeowners have paid off their mortgages completely. This group is generally more affluent and contributes more to consumer spending and the economy relative to its size.

Unlike sub-prime borrowers, who tend to have lower incomes and fewer assets, prime borrowers have greater means to restructure their debts if they lose jobs or encounter other financial challenges.

 

Source: NYT, AP (Business Times 13 Feb 08

White House does not expect a recession

(WASHINGTON) The White House predicted on Monday that the economy would escape a recession and that unemployment would remain low this year, though it acknowledged that growth had already slowed.

‘I don’t think we are in a recession right now, and we are not forecasting a recession,’ said Edward Lazear, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Presenting the White House’s annual report to Congress on the economy, Mr Lazear acknowledged that the plunge in housing and mortgage markets had yet to hit bottom and that growth would be low in the first half of 2008.

But administration officials are counting on a lift this summer from the US$168 billion economic stimulus package that Congress passed last week and from the Federal Reserve’s recent decisions to reduce shortterm interest rates.

The administration’s forecast calls for the economy to expand 2.7 per cent this year and for unemployment to remain at 4.9 per cent. That is much more optimistic than predictions by many analysts on Wall Street.

Among economists surveyed by the Blue Chip Economic Forecast, a closely watched monthly survey, the consensus prediction is that the economy will expand 1.7 per cent.

Indeed, many analysts contend the US has already slipped into a recession and will get only a temporary lift from the stimulus package.

The report on Monday predicts that business investment growth and job growth are both likely to remain ‘solid’ in 2008.

 

Source: NYT (Business Times 13 Feb 08)

Some small property launches but most still hold back

Developers selling projects abroad first before launching them in Singapore

PROPERTY developers are starting to gingerly test the volatile market with a few launches now that the festive season is behind them.

Those dipping their toes into the choppy waters, however, are mostly offering smaller projects away from the prime areas, said property agents.

Home seekers may have to wait a bit longer for major launches, with the earliest set for next month or April.

Meanwhile, developers waiting for the market to regain momentum are selling Singapore projects overseas before launching them locally, said Mr Ku

Swee Yong, director of business development and marketing at Savills Singapore.

‘Developers are still waiting for the stock market here to settle down,’ said Mr Ku.

Savills is dispatching a large sales team to Dubai next week to market Skypark at St Thomas Walk, CapitaLand’s condo on the Silver Tower site in Cairnhill, and the units Kuwait Finance House bought in Reflections at Keppel Bay and Goodwood Residences last year.

For local buyers, one project likely to be launched within weeks is the 47-unit Cosmo at Guillemard Lane.

Prices could be $1,100 to $1,200 per sq ft (psf), said Mr Patrick Oei, associate group director for Huttons Real Estate, which is marketing the project.

Another upcoming launch is that of the 108-unit Verve Residences near Jalan Rajah, with prices likely to range from $900 to $1,100 psf.

These prices are similar to recent transactions in each area, showing that levels are still holding steady.

Homebuyers also picked up a few units in three freehold boutique projects launched in Telok Kurau recently.

One is the 28-unit Costa Este, which is selling at $663 to $980 psf. The others are Palm Galleria and Espira Spring, launched during the Chinese New Year weekend with average prices of $850 to $870 psf.

Generally, smaller projects have done well, even in shaky market conditions, said Mr Oei, citing Casa Fortuna in Balestier and Wilkie 80 in Wilkie Road. Both were sold out within three days of their launches late last year.

The 106-unit Casa Fortuna sold at about $1,000 psf, while Wilkie 80′s 50 units were taken up at $1,500 to almost $1,800 psf, Mr Oei said.

As for bigger projects, the first phase of Waterfront Waves at Bedok Reservoir will be officially launched this weekend. Prices for the 60-odd units still unsold will rise marginally from the current average of $750 psf, said Ms Kellie Liew, a project director at HSR Property Group.

The next brand-new launch may be Frasers Centrepoint’s Martin Place Residences in Kim Yam Road, due next month. Staff previews for the 302-unit condo started last month, at $1,800 to $2,300 psf.

Other launches to look out for include the delayed Marina Bay Suites and Ho Bee’s project at Dakota Crescent.

Not all industry players, though, have high hopes for upcoming launches. ‘The market is really quiet,’ said one agent. ‘Showflat crowds have thinned out to five or 10 people at a time. We’re still placing advertisements, but no telephone calls are coming in.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 13 Feb 08

2007 Budget surplus expected to hit eight-year high

Figure forecast to reach between $4b and $5b on higher tax revenues

THE Government is widely expected to report its largest Budget surplus since the dot.com boom, after a robust economy boosted tax collections last year.

Good corporate profits, strong wage growth and a rip-roaring property market are likely to mean that public revenues exceeded expenditures by between $4 billion and $5 billion, say economists.

This would give the Government considerable leeway to be extra generous with one-off financial aid measures to help the elderly and poor cope with escalating living costs, the experts said.

‘It’s going to surprise on the upside,’ said DBS Bank economist Irvin Seah, who is expecting an overall surplus of $4.28 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31. ‘Due to strong economic growth, tax collections will be higher than expected.’

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be presenting the Budget to Parliament on Friday. The expected bumper surplus follows economic growth last year, likely to come in at 7.5 per cent.

The final figures for gross domestic product, or economic output, for last year will be announced tomorrow and are expected to reflect estimates published last month.

The Government has recorded, at best, a small surplus in recent years. The last time it achieved a bulging surplus was in 2000 at $4 billion and in 1999 at $4.9 billion.

Standard Chartered Bank (Stanchart) economist Alvin Liew noted that when a fiscal deficit of $690,000 was estimated a year ago, the Government was forecasting growth at 4 per cent to 6 per cent.

‘But actual growth has exceeded their expectations by more than 2 percentage points,’ he said.

CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun said the Government’s operating revenues probably jumped by 25 per cent from the previous year, instead of the official 5 per cent forecast.

Economists said personal income tax receipts rose as the strong economy lifted wages and created jobs.

Average bonuses paid out to workers have hit a 17-year high, while the unemployment rate has come down to a 10-year low.

Businesses should also post much stronger earnings such that they will pay more taxes overall despite a cut in the corporate tax rate from 20 per cent to 18 per cent.

Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng estimates that combined income tax collections from companies and individuals, which make up almost half of all tax revenues, surged 20 per cent.

Stanchart’s Mr Liew said revenues from the goods and services tax (GST) probably exceeded government projections, too. He noted that the booming economy has allowed consumer prices to rise strongly, probably exceeding government forecasts, which will boost GST receipts.

The experts say the Government should distribute the bulging surplus mainly to individuals who face a slowing economy and rising inflation.

‘The key focus will likely be measures to address the widening income gap and help the lower-income group cope with high costs of living,’ said United Overseas Bank economist Ho Woei Chen. This will likely take the form of one-off help, such as rental and utility rebates for the poor.

Beyond addressing acute challenges, economists said the Government would likely keep an eye on the medium to long term also.

A cut in personal income tax rates to match last year’s reduction in company taxes is widely anticipated to help Singapore attract foreign talent to live and work here.

The Government may also look to further enhance public infrastructure to keep Singapore competitive.

 

Source: The Straits Times 13 Feb 08

Don’t over-stretch yourselves: MM Lee

Financial prudence in periods of boom will enable S’poreans to ride out bad times

MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night urged Singaporeans not to over-stretch themselves financially in a period of boom, so that in the event of bad times, they would be better able to ride out the cycle.

Describing the effect of the property cycle, he warned that property prices go in cycles and will not keep going up all the time.

‘They go up, then they go down,’ he said. ‘So when they go up, don’t believe that it’s going to go up further and further, and you start buying bigger and bigger, and mortgage for bigger and bigger amounts. Because the day it starts to fall, the cycle goes around, you will find yourself with a negative value asset.’

It is by such prudent attitude that the government has refrained from spending the hundreds of billions of dollars of reserves that it has built up over the decades. Pointing to the recent investments made by the Government of Singapore Investment Corp and Temasek Holdings, Mr Lee said the two agencies were able to increase the value of their assets because they hang on in a recession, and sell part of their assets and keep cash when the boom becomes too intoxicating. The strategy ensured that when international banks like UBS, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch needed cash, GIC and Temasek would have the cash to invest in them.

Mr Lee was speaking at the Tanjong Pagar GRC Chinese New Year dinner when he made those comments. The constituency dinner, held at Farrer Park Primary School, was attended by some 1,200 residents and guests.

At the event, Mr Lee also cautioned against failing to plan for old age, saying: ‘The government will not allow anybody to die of starvation, but we are not going to cover you for your indiscretions.’

Along with the guarded tone in his message, he spoke of a bright outlook for Singapore. While the rise in food and energy prices and the widening income gap are causes for concern, he said Singapore can mitigate these problems.

‘But we must press ahead and maximise our chances to break through in the coming five to 10 years to reach a higher quality of development,’ he said. ‘We are now into a period of steady growth and transformation.’

Apart from the massive foreign infrastructure investments Singapore has attracted, the Republic is also spending about $28 billion in new MRT lines and a new expressway. The city centre is undergoing a makeover with the upcoming integrated resorts, the soon-to-be-completed Marina Barrage, and a Formula One night race.

Mr Lee said that Singapore has become successful thus far ‘because we have assumed individual responsibility for our lives’. Without natural resources, the way Singapore has managed to attract investors has been to keep taxes low, and offer a highly efficient, non-corrupt system and an industrial climate where workers, employers and government can work together.

‘And that is the basis on which we have huge investments coming in, because they (investors) know that this system will ensure that there will be no sudden dive down,’ he said.

‘I therefore urge everyone to remember, individual responsibility and family responsibility for each other is the way to go forward and the way to build one of the best cities in the tropics.’

 

Source: Business Times 12 Feb 08

Q4 GDP seen shrinking by 3.4%: poll

But Singapore not expected to slide into recession

SINGAPORE’S economy probably shrank in the fourth quarter by an annualised 3.4 per cent, weaker than an advance government estimate and the first quarterly contraction since 2003, a Reuters poll showed.

The preliminary government estimate suggested the economy shrank an annualised 3.2 per cent in the final three months of 2007. Factory output at the end of the year was lower than expected, after a 4.3 per cent expansion in the third quarter.

Most economists do not expect Singapore to slide into recession – defined as two consecutive quarterly contractions in economic growth – although slower growth will probably prevent the central bank from tightening monetary policy to rein in inflation, which is at a 25-year high.

The slowdown, after four years of booming growth averaging 6.6 per cent, is due to a sharp fall in manufacturing activity as demand for electronics in the United States and Europe dropped in the fourth quarter.

Drug output was also weak at the end of 2007.

‘The fourth-quarter slowdown was due to a contraction in the biomedical sector, but we can expect a rebound in the first quarter,’ said David Cohen, an economist from Action Economics.

‘The biomedical sector would be the least vulnerable to weakness in global demand,’ he said.

Many Asian economies are expected to slow this year on the back of the struggling US economy, the region’s largest export market.

The International Monetary Fund cut its global 2008 growth projection to 4.1 per cent from 4.4 per cent in January because of continuing stress in global credit markets, and it warned that economic activity could slow even further.

Singapore’s economic growth in the fourth quarter is expected to have slowed to 6 per cent from a year earlier, down from 8.9 per cent in the third quarter but in line with the advance government estimate, the poll of 10 economists showed.

For 2007 as a whole, the economy probably grew 7.5 per cent, also in line with the government’s estimate but slightly lower than the 7.9 per cent in 2006.

‘A US recession is likely to deepen the manufacturing and export slump this year, causing GDP growth to slow to 5.6 per cent in 2008,’ said Kit Wei Zheng, a Citigroup economist.

Factory output, which generates a quarter of Singapore’s gross domestic product, unexpectedly fell a seasonally adjusted 4.7 per cent in December as annual drug production fell for the fourth straight month due to lower output of active drug ingredients.

The manufacturing sector grew just 0.5 per cent in the fourth quarter, an advance government estimate showed, braking from 10.3 per cent growth in the previous quarter.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 12 Feb 08)

Stanchart joining quest for space in Changi

Bank seeks to build complex of up to 400,000 sq ft to house backroom operations: sources

STANDARD Chartered looks set to be the next financial institution to head out east to Changi Business Park (CBP), which is fast becoming a hub for financial backroom operations.

Already, Citibank, Credit Suisse, DBS and OCBC have either staked their claims on space there, or are in the process of doing so.

As for Standard Chartered, sources say that it is looking to build a complex of between 300,000 and 400,000 sq ft to consolidate its backroom operations currently spread out in locations like Tampines, Bukit Merah and Bras Basah.

It is also understood that the bank expects to increase its headcount when it expands its offices to CBP.

It has already committed to take up over 500,000 sq ft of space at the upcoming Marina Bay Financial Centre.

Industrial and business parks developer Ascendas, which is a subsidiary of JTC Corporation, is said to be the developer of Standard Chartered’s CBP offices.

It will be a built-to-suit building which will be leased to Standard Chartered in a similar way that Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust (in which Ascendas holds a 60 per cent stake) is developing and leasing to Citibank its new backroom office space at CBP.

Earlier, Citigroup said it would invest $220 million to cover the capital, relocation, rental and operating costs of the new CBP office and will lease the space until 2016 and has an option to extend its lease for another six years.

CBP is a 66.54 ha business park which currently comprises around 60 development plots. JTC revealed earlier that about 50 per cent of these have already been allocated. While it is not clear which plot will be the site for Standard Chartered’s new backroom office, a JTC map of the area reveals that Ascendas has been allocated plots near The Signature, which is also near Expo MRT Station.

Other plans afoot at CBP include a hotel.

While the idea of a hotel was first mooted several years ago, there was little interest from industry players then.

It is understood that interest for a hotel has now been revived with CBP growing to become more than just a business park.

Cushman & Wakefield managing director Donald Han believes that while CBP may not have the critical mass to become a sub-regional town centre, it could become a fringe commercial centre along the lines of Harbourfront or Alexandra Road which Mr Han believes came about through ‘organic growth’.

With more businesses moving to CBP, Mr Han says that the authorities may have to, ‘over time, transform CBP into a fringe centre too’.

Mr Han also believes that in the process, Singapore Expo could be amalgamated to create the critical mass that will sustain support functions like the hotel as well as retail facilities.

For now, however, Mr Han reckons CBP is still ‘a bit disconnected’.

 

Source: Business Times 12 Feb 08

HDB offers 278 flats for sale

By end of yesterday, there were 2,224 online applications

THE Housing and Development Board launched the sale of 278 flats in various towns and estates yesterday. And by the end of the day the units were many times subscribed, with 2,224 online applications received.

Most of the units are four-room flats, plus 64 five-room units and 20 executive flats. They are spread over 13 estates.

Toa Payoh had the largest number of flats available at 119, followed by Tampines with 39 and Bukit Merah with 30.

Cushman & Wakefield managing director Donald Han said: ‘Obviously we’re seeing a better response for mature estates in fairly central locations. These are the first to experience demand and price increases.’

This is HDB’s fifth bi-monthly sales exercise for four-room and bigger flats under the combined balloting/walk-in system. Some 3,350 units have been offered so far.

In the first four exercises, 2,917 of the 3,034 units offered were selected, representing a take-up rate of 96 per cent.

There is also healthy demand for HDB’s build-to-order (BTO) flats. The 698-unit Coral Spring @ Sengkang, launched in September 2007, is about 70 per cent taken up, with just 200 units remaining. ERA Singapore assistant vice-president Eugene Lim said this is ‘not bad’ considering the location.

The strong economy has helped boost BTO and bi-monthly sales. But Mr Lim said increasingly higher asking prices for resale HDB flats are pricing some people out of the resale market. ‘There appears to be a stand-off between buyers and sellers in the resale market at the moment,’ he said, though there is still demand for resale flats.

HDB, which has stepped up its building programme since 2007, will offer 4,500 new BTO flats in the first half of 2008.

Whether this will help cool the resale market – where at the top end a 21st-storey executive flat in Queenstown went for a record $890,000 last month – is uncertain.

PropNex CEO Mohamed Ismail reckons the resale market will remain strong for now.

‘Supply (of flats) through walk-in selection is drying up and BTO flats will take time to build,’ he said. ‘I also believe the first half of 2008 will see people who sold their private flats en bloc earlier start to receive their collective sale proceeds, and some will downgrade to HDB resale flats.’

As such, Mr Ismail believes the resale market could see more than 30,000 transactions this year.

 

Source: Business Times 12 Feb 08

Developer stocks may rise above flat property prices

Goldman says that physical market correction already priced in

(SINGAPORE) Goldman Sachs predicts that private home prices will remain flat this year, but is sticking to its view that Singapore’s strong structural story is driving a sustainable multi-year residential upswing.

The US bank does not expect a repeat of the mid-1996 (anti-speculation) regulatory measures that caused Singapore’s residential market downturn or an economic environment like in 1998, when property prices fell sharply amid negative economic growth and job creation, and an interest rate spike. Goldman Sachs has also upgraded CapitaLand from Neutral to Buy.

‘We argue that the share prices of developer stocks have priced in a severe physical market correction, which we believe is unwarranted.

‘Notwithstanding near- term headwinds, we recommend investors start accumulating Singapore property developer stocks. We believe developer stocks will start trending up to their RNAVs (Revalued Net Asset Values) once investors get comfortable that property markets in Singapore and China are not heading for a severe correction,’ Goldman Sachs said in a report dated Feb 8 and authored by its analyst Leslie Yee.

Even after lowering its RNAVs for Singapore developers, Goldman’s 12-month target prices (set at parity to 2008 Estimated RNAV) offer potential upside of around 28-37 per cent.

Goldman Sachs attributed its lowering of 12-month target prices and valuations to Singapore private home prices staying flat, lower values of listed investments and a lower multiple of 15x (from 20x) for asset management fees.

Although Goldman Sachs assumes zero growth in overall private home prices this year, it acknowledges that prices may increase in the second half of the year.

The property market is currently caught between the negatives of macro concerns over the fallout from a US-led recession on the Singapore economy and equity market weakness, and the positives of strong Singapore domestic growth drivers such as robust job creation and wage growth, Goldman’s report said.

‘We have greatest confidence in the private mid- to mass-market segment, based on our analysis of different key drivers, such as affordability, income growth, population growth, and HDB resale market trends, among others. We believe strong Singapore fundamentals support this segment, which is likely to benefit most from any reduction in mortgage rates.

‘In the prime residential segment, we see a dampener from a fall in speculative activity but would not underestimate the appetite of bulk buyers such as the Middle Eastern funds. We note affordability for the mass market remains strong, while the prime segment should benefit from the rise in the number of people with high incomes,’ it added. Besides the Singapore residential market, other key drivers for developer stocks are the performance of the Singapore office market, the Chinese residential and commercial markets, and real estate investment trusts, the US bank said.

It argues that new office supply here in 2011/2012 can be absorbed without significant negative impact on rental and occupancy rates, and expects capitalisation rates across various property asset classes in Singapore to remain stable.

Goldman Sachs also sees little downside for residential prices in the China market, and has a positive bias on the outlook for Beijing, Shanghai and selected second-tier cities.

As for Singapore Reits, Goldman sees their unit prices rising from current levels over the next six months – given firm property rentals and the possibility of the overhang from primary and secondary equity raisings being removed.

Goldman has lowered its 2008 estimated RNAV for City Developments from $15.80 to $14.70 and for CapitaLand from $8.30 to $7.70.

‘Amidst a more uncertain environment, our top pick is CapitaLand, which we upgrade to Buy from Neutral. With its multiple growth engines, highly regarded management team and low gearing, our Buy rating on CapitaLand is premised on its attractive and resilient valuation which performs well in various stress tests,’ Goldman said.

The US bank is maintaining its neutral rating for CityDev.

 

Source: Business Times 12 Feb 08

Ayala Land bullish on Philippine housing market

(MANILA) Ayala Land, the Philippines’ biggest developer, plans to sell more homes this year, betting that housing demand will shrug off the impact of an economic slowdown in the US, the Philippines’ largest export market.

The company will sell more than the 4,404 lots and condominiums that it sold last year, chief financial officer Jaime Ysmael said yesterday in an interview in Manila. Ayala will offer 5,622 residential properties for sale this year, up from 5,182, he said. He declined to discuss sales and profit forecasts.

‘The domestic market could neutralise the negative effects’ of a US slowdown, Mr Ysmael said. The government last month said that the Philippine economy expanded 7.3 per cent last year, the fastest pace in 31 years.

The US is the source of half the remittances from overseas nationals, which make up a tenth of the Philippine economy. Sales to Filipinos abroad and the families that they support at home make up about a third of Ayala Land’s residential sales, Mr Ysmael said. Many of those customers are Filipinos living and working in the US, he added.

Last Friday, Ayala Land said that its 2007 profit rose 13 per cent to 4.4 billion pesos (S$154 million). Its sales were little changed, at 25.7 billion pesos. The developer said that it would boost capital spending by 60 per cent, to 24.3 billion pesos. About 20-30 per cent of that will fund new projects, Mr Ysmael said.

The company will probably sell more than two billion pesos of bonds this year to pay that amount of debt maturing in the fourth quarter, he added.

Mr Ysmael also said that an Asian property fund co-founded by Ayala Land may invest in Vietnam and expand its investments in China after closing itself to investors.

ARCH Capital Management Co, the fund’s management company, raised US$330 million, compared with the US$200 million targeted when Ayala Land and two partners set up the fund in 2006.

A US or global economic slowdown ‘may close some doors but the deal flow is still quite robust’, Mr Ysmael said. ‘There might be an impact but Asia is big. There are opportunities out there despite the possible slowdown.’

Ayala Land joined with its parent company Ayala Corp and Hong Kong-based Great ARCH Co to set up ARCH Capital Management. The fund is authorised to invest in Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines. ARCH Capital’s projects in Bangkok and Macau, China, comprise a fifth of available funds, Mr Ysmael said.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 12 Feb 08)

New Zealand house price growth slows as demand cools

(WELLINGTON, New Zealand) House prices in New Zealand rose at the slowest pace in a year last month as record-high interest rates and rising living costs curbed demand for property.

Prices climbed 8.9 per cent in January from a year earlier, moderating from a 10 per cent increase in December, Quotable Value New Zealand Ltd, the government valuation agency, said in a report released in Wellington yesterday.

A cooling property market will further slow an economy that expanded at the slowest pace in a year in the third quarter.

Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Alan Bollard raised the benchmark interest rate four times last year to 8.25 per cent, straining the budgets of lower-income homeowners and forcing some property investors to renegotiate finance.

‘Over the course of the year, we will see prices drop on a national basis,’ said Nick Tuffley, chief economist at ASB Bank in Auckland. ‘Sales are slowing but the number of houses on the market is rising, so many sellers are going to have to look at the price they are willing to accept.’

The number of house sales in December slumped 32 per cent to a seven-year low, the Real Estate Institute said on Jan 16.

Mr Tuffley said that people are seeking to sell properties that they had been using as an investment, while buyers are ‘on the sidelines’ because of the increasing cost of home loans.

The average price of a New Zealand house was NZ$390,636 (S$437,500) in January, yesterday’s report showed.

In December, the interest rate on a two-year fixed mortgage was 9.38 per cent, up from 8.18 per cent a year earlier.

The cost of mortgage repayments on a median-priced New Zealand home was about 82 per cent of the nation’s average income in December, a measure of housing affordability that is close to the record low, according to the website interest.co.nz.

‘Higher mortgage interest rates are affecting property owners on low discretionary incomes,’ said Blue Hancock, a Quotable Value spokesman. ‘There are increasing reports from our valuers of properties going to mortgagee sale, with the number of these sales likely to increase.’ Property price growth has already stalled in some parts of the country, Mr Hancock said.

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 12 Feb 08)

British home repossessions at 8-year high

(LONDON) British home repossessions last year hit their highest level since 1999 and are likely to increase, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said last Friday.

The trade group said that more than 27,000 homes were repossessed in 2007 and forecast that repossessions would rise to a total 45,000 in 2008 – still far fewer than the 75,000 homes that were repossessed in 1991 at the height of the last recession.

Economists expected a sharp rise this year as the global credit crunch bites.

‘The financial pressure on many home owners is increasing,’ said Howard Archer from Global Insight. ‘It seems certain that repossessions will trend up significantly during 2008, particularly if the economy suffers an extended marked slowdown and unemployment starts rising.’

Separate figures from the government showed that mortgage repossessions in England and Wales rose an annual 6 per cent in the last three months of 2007.

The mortgage lenders said that 13,500 homes were repossessed in the second half of 2007, marginally below the 13,600 in the first half and 10 per cent lower than they had forecast.

But the global economy now appears to be entering the slowdown presaged by the soaring rate of repossessions in the US that led to the dismantling of complicated credit derivatives underwritten by mortgages.

Britain’s economy grew by around 3 per cent last year but is expected to expand by less than 2 per cent this year.

‘The number of repossessions is likely to be higher in 2008 as a result of wider issues in the economy and the mortgage funding markets,’ said Michael Coogan, CML director-general.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 12 Feb 08)

Australia’s home loan approvals rise in December

Increased lending shows economy is weathering higher interest rates

(SYDNEY) Australia’s home loan approvals unexpectedly rose in December to a six-month high as jobs growth and wage gains underpinned demand for property.

The number of loans granted to people to build or buy houses or apartments climbed 0.1 per cent to 65,645 from November, the Bureau of Statistics said here yesterday. The median forecast of 21 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a one per cent decline.

Increased lending adds to evidence that the A$1 trillion (S$1.3 trillion) economy is weathering higher interest rates and slowing economic growth in the US, Europe and Japan. The central bank said yesterday that it may need to increase borrowing costs further to curb the nation’s fastest inflation in 16 years.

‘The housing market will remain tight, putting upward pressure on prices and rents,’ said Craig James, Sydney-based chief equities economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the nation’s largest mortgage lender. ‘The central bank is talking tough on the economy about inflation and the need to lift interest rates.’

The Australian dollar traded at 90.18 US cents at 4.38 pm here from 89.75 US cents before the lending report and central bank comments were released. The yield on the five-year government bond rose 10 basis points, or 0.10 percentage point, to 6.6 per cent.

Australia’s economy is in its 17th year of expansion, which is underpinning growth in employment and stoking borrowing demand. The jobless rate is at the lowest in more than three decades as retailers including Harvey Norman Holding Ltd and miners such as Rio Tinto Group hire more workers to expand.

‘Demand for finance has so far proved resilient to the Reserve Bank’s interest rate rises,’ said Bill Evans, chief economist at Westpac Banking Corp here. ‘We still expect rate increases to have some damping impact, particularly with the additional hike in February.’

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens raised the benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to an 11- year high of 7 per cent last week, adding to increases in August and November.

The bank will raise the rate to 7.25 per cent by June, according to 13 of 24 economists surveyed by Bloomberg last week.

About 90 per cent of mortgages are taken out on a so-called floating rate, which is tied to the central bank’s rate.

A 25-basis-point rate increase adds about A$42 a month to the average A$250,000 home loan, according to the Housing Industry Association.

Westpac boosted its interest rate on home loans by 25 basis points following the central bank’s latest adjustment and Commonwealth Bank of Australia raised its main rate by 30 basis points. National Australia Bank Ltd added 29 basis points.

Australia’s five largest lenders also raised rates by between 10 and 20 basis points in January to recoup funding costs that have been driven up by the global credit squeeze.

Housing affordability in Australia dropped to the lowest level on record in the third quarter, according to an index compiled by Commonwealth Bank and the Housing Industry Association. Mortgage repayments accounted for almost 32 per cent of the average first-home buyer’s income.

There are signs that builders are scaling back projects, with a report last week showing that growth in the construction industry slowed in January.

The total value of lending fell 0.6 per cent to A$22.1 billion in December.

Lending to owner- occupiers rose 0.5 per cent to A$15.6 billion in December, yesterday’s report showed. The value of lending to investors who plan to rent or resell homes declined 3 per cent to A$6.58 billion.

Loans to build new houses slipped 2.1 per cent to A$4.68 billion from November, yesterday’s report showed. The number of loans to buy newly built dwellings declined 3.8 per cent.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 12 Feb 08)

MEDIA & MARKETING: Newspapers still among top media platforms

Despite hype over Internet, traditional forms of advertising still have edge: Poll

DESPITE the buzz and hype surrounding advertising on social networking and other Internet sites, newspapers still trounced other media as the most effective marketing platform last year.

This is because newspapers and other traditional forms of media still have a far wider reach, said the Fournaise Marketing Group in a recent survey.

The Singapore-based firm is one of the world’s top trackers of marketing effectiveness.

Its Marketing Effectiveness Report for last year, issued earlier this month, contained the results of a poll of more than 3,000 business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing professionals working for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as larger firms, in Britain, Australia, China, India and Singapore.

Among the key findings was the fact that newspapers still easily beat other media in terms of marketing effectiveness despite the rise of online advertising.

Globally, newspapers ranked third behind direct marketing and public relations in terms of effectiveness in reaching out to target markets, ahead of online e-mail messages, referrals and display ads.

In booming economies such as Singapore, India and China, newspapers topped the list ahead of television and outdoor advertising.

Fournaise chief executive officer Jerome Fontaine said this was not surprising.

‘In markets which are growing fast, companies are still keen to build awareness and interest in their brands.

‘A big draw for established media such as newspapers is the fact that they still have a relatively wide and established reach.

‘Another attraction is that there are avenues for them to be audited externally, unlike many online forms of marketing. This allows marketeers to know precisely what they are getting for their money.’

The report also showed that for every $100 spent on marketing by businesses around the world as they tried to reach out to customers last year, a whopping $65 was likely to have been wasted.

The level of wastage was lower in high-growth centres such as Singapore, it found.

But the problem that marketeers face in getting their message through is universal: lots of media clutter, along with savvy and sophisticated customers and an extremely competitive marketing environment.

The survey concluded that marketeers around the world believe the marketing wastage rate for businesses trying to sell their wares to consumers was a significant 65 per cent. It was a lower 45 per cent for business-to-business firms.

In countries with relatively low economic growth, such as in North America, Britain and Australia, the estimated overall wastage rate is 60 per cent, compared to 40 per cent in countries with higher levels of growth such as Singapore, India and China.

Top 10 platforms

THE most effective marketing platforms of 2007 according to Fournaise’s report:

1. Direct marketing

2. Public relations

3. Newspapers

4. Online e-mail messages

5. Outdoor

6. Online (referrals)

7. Online (display ads)

8. Television

9. Sponsorships

10. Endorsements

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

2,224 in HDB line and it’s only Day 1

A BATCH of 278 surplus Housing Board flats in established towns like Bedok, Geylang and Toa Payoh drew more than 2,200 buyers within hours of going on sale yesterday.

Buyers have until Feb 18 to submit online applications for a computer ballot that will fix their position in the queue to pick a flat. The results will be out on Feb 21.

Yesterday’s ‘apply to buy’ rush will not have come as a surprise given the past response to the HDB’s year-old sales scheme.

A batch of 316 flats offered in outlying towns drew 5,147 applications in December, while about 840 others offered in two prior sales exercises were fully taken up.

The latest batch comprises mainly four-room units, with some five-room and executive flats – all in mature locations with amenities.

‘There will an overwhelming response,’ predicted Mr Albert Lu, the managing director of C&H Realty.

By 5pm yesterday, 2,224 people were in the queue.

The biggest group of units is in Toa Payoh, with 105 four-room and 14 five-room flats on offer. Flats are also available in Jalan Membina in Bukit Merah town and Geylang Serai.

The four-room flats cost $141,000 to $398,000, the five-roomers cost $218,000 to $532,000 and the executive flats, $333,000 to $470,000, depending on location and features of the units.

Demand is expected to come from buyers who want flats urgently but cannot stomach the prices that owners in choice areas are demanding.

Administration assistant Ellis Ang, 26, who plans to get married this year, has struck out in three ballots for a new flat so far.

‘There are a lot of couples like us out there,’ she said.

Unlike build-to-order flats, where construction starts only after most of the units are booked, most of the 278 flats on offer are ready and the rest are expected to be completed by 2011.

The HDB said: ‘Given the overwhelming popularity of new flats in established towns and the limited number of new flats available here, HDB would like to encourage flat buyers to consider flats in non-mature estates as well.’

Increased demand has shrunk the HDB’s surplus stock from more than 10,000 four years ago to about 2,200 at the end of last year.

But it is ramping up the number of build-to-order flats, with about 4,500 new flats offered this way in the first half of this year.

There is ‘ample supply’ of such new flats, it said, pointing out that 200 flats in the 698-unit Coral Spring estate in Sengkang were not taken up when booking ended last month.

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

Stock of surplus flats vanishing fast

Buyers on tight budgets looking for finished flats will be vying for fewer units

THE Housing Board’s offer of 278 surplus flats in mature towns yesterday will be likely to slash its stock of readily available units to less than 2,000, down from 17,500 in 2002.

Surging demand and a shortage of affordable completed property has dramatically cut the surplus supply.

At the end of last year, HDB was estimated to have just 2,200 surplus flats left. The almost 100 per cent takeup rate in previous sales exercises will push this figure down further.

It means that buyers on tight budgets hoping to purchase a completed flat will find themselves vying for fewer and fewer units, with the only alternative being coughing up more cash to buy a resale flat.

Those who were unlucky in ballots or who lack the cash will just have to wait.

Most new HDB flats come under the build-to-order (BTO) scheme. These flats are constructed only when most units are taken up. A person booking a BTO unit today could still have to wait three years or more for his home to be ready.

In the meantime, newly married couples will just have to rent or live with their parents until their new flat is ready, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.

The resale prices of HDB flats jumped 17.5 per cent last year, prompting hordes of buyers to try their luck in the queue for surplus new flats, which come at highly subsidised prices.

A batch of 316 flats in Hougang, Punggol and Sengkang drew 5,147 applications, while 840 units offered in other parts of Singapore were all snapped up.

While the Government has committed to offering more flats under the BTO system – 4,500 in the first half of this year – it cannot guarantee that these new flats will be available on the spot.

It learnt a hard lesson in the 1990s when it built too many flats in anticipation of demand that fizzled out fast in the Asian financial crisis.

The subsequent overhang, which numbered 17,500 in 2002, meant that families wanting a flat could simply walk into an HDB branch and pick a ready-built flat on the spot.

In 2005, the HDB even sold about 100 of its older surplus flats on the resale market. This had HDB flat owners fearful that the move could depress the value of their homes.

Those days look set to be over, say property experts.

C&H Realty managing director Albert Lu said that buyers will simply have to choose between waiting for a new flat or paying more for a resale one in move-in condition.

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

A touch of glass for Moulmein HDB flats

RESIDENTS of HDB flats in Cambridge and Owen Roads will be the first in Singapore to get see-through, bubble lifts like those found in hotels and shopping malls.

They will be up and running by next year, said Minister of State (Education) Lui Tuck Yew yesterday at a Chinese New Year dinner for Tanjong Pagar GRC.

These lifts are cheaper to install because they are not enclosed in a concrete shaft. They cost about 25 to 35 per cent less than that of the lifts now found in HDB blocks.

Residents in Buffalo Road in Serangoon will also have such lifts by 2010, said Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui.

The authorities had previously said that by installing shaftless lifts, they could quicken the pace of upgrading so that HDB blocks would have lifts that stop on every floor.

In all, 1,200 HDB homes in the MP’s Moulmein division will gain from lift upgrading in the next two years.

Residents strongly support the programme to improve their lifts, with 85 per cent to 100 per cent of them giving the green light in polls, RADM Lui said at the dinner attended by the GRC’s six MPs, including Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Meanwhile, efforts to upgrade private estates have been less successful.

Three submissions last year to the National Development Ministry’s Estate Upgrading Programme were not selected. RADM Lui did not identify the estates.

He plans to approach the ministry’s Community Improvement Programme for funds to do minor improvements to the private estates.

He also disclosed that ‘after much deliberation and some persuasion’, the Government gave more money for the renovation of the iconic Tekka Market, at the corner of Serangoon Road and Bukit Timah Road.

The sum has been raised from $5 million to $12 million for a more thorough make- over, he added.

Beyond the physical improvements, RADM Lui also highlighted the need for more community awareness. He urged the residents to play their part in helping the needy and be more neighbourly.

One resident who is looking forward to the bubble lift is deliveryman Tan Soy Tee.

The 61-year-old lives in a three-room flat on the sixth floor of Block 46 in Owen Road. The lift does not stop on his floor but on the seventh floor.

Daily, he would have to take the flight of steps to and from his home.

He expects to pay about $760 for the lift upgrading, a sum he finds affordable: ‘I earn $1,200 a month and cannot afford it if I have to pay much more than that,’ he said in Mandarin.

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

MM confident S’pore will ride out global slowdown

US troubles won’t hurt Asia for the first time, thanks to investments and region’s resilience

SINGAPORE will do well despite trouble in the global economy, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

And, for the first time, Asia will not tip into recession even though the United States economy is faltering, he said at his annual Tanjong Pagar Chinese New Year dinner yesterday.

But while he registered confidence in Singapore’s prospects, he was also mindful of the widespread worry among Singaporeans over the cost of living.

Speaking in English as well as Mandarin, he noted that economists have forecast that Singapore will still achieve 4 per cent to 6 per cent growth.

‘This is quite remarkable for it will be the first time that when the American economy slows down and reduces imports from Asia, Asia will not go into recession,’ he said.

He cited two main reasons for Singapore being able to ride out the financial disturbances.

One, it stands at the heart of the world’s highest-growth region. Two, the massive investments that are pouring into the island.

On the region’s prosperity, he highlighted the domestic growth momentum in China and India as well as the buoyant economies of neighbours such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

In his Mandarin speech, he said Vietnam will have South-east Asia’s most lively economy in 20 to 30 years.

Among Asean scholarship students here, he noted, the Vietnamese are the most serious, intelligent and reliable.

As for the massive investments here, he noted that the construction industry will be busy for several years building $20 billion worth of new MRT lines, the two integrated resorts and more.

Foreign investors, too, are here. Citing three billion-dollar projects, he said: ‘Huge investments cannot be recovered in a few years but will take decades to get back.’

Mr Lee believes these developments, in the region and at home, can help Singapore ‘mitigate’ its problems.

‘The rise in food and energy prices, and the widening income gap between high and low earners is cause for concern. But we must press ahead and maximise our chances to break through in the coming five to 10 years to reach a higher quality of development.’

He also said that Singapore is into a period of steady growth and transformation that includes the HDB estates.

‘We will not leave our heartlands behind,” he promised, as the 1,200 Tanjong Pagar GRC residents and guests celebrated with yu sheng (raw fish salad) under a white tent at the Farrer Park Primary School.

In the festive crowd was lawyer Michael Chia, 37, who said: ‘It’s comforting to know that Singapore will continue ticking.’

While assuring people about the days ahead, Mr Lee also warned against overreaching in good times and called it ‘a blessing’ that the financial crisis had cooled the property market.

‘Please remember that property prices go in cycles,” he added. ‘So when they go up, don’t believe it’s going to go up further and further and you start buying bigger and bigger homes…”

‘Boom and bust is in the nature of business cycles. You must be able to ride through a recession and emerge the better for it.’

This is how the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and Temasek have been able to increase the value of its assets, he said, focusing on opportunities present in dark times.

‘In a recession we hang on. As the boom gets too intoxicating, we sell part of our shares and other assets and keep cash.”

So when UBS, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch needed a cash infusion, Singapore invested $22 billion in these distressed international banks.

‘When the share prices of these banks recover that $22 billion investments, it will be worth $50 to S$70 billion.”

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

Firms hope for tax measures that help combat rising costs

Faced with possibility of global slowdown, they call for Budget moves to ease inflation pressures

TAX relief to help businesses cope with spiralling costs is the key item that just about every company in Singapore is clamouring for in this Friday’s Budget.

Companies are unanimous in calling for more government help to combat rising inflation. The wish list ranges from a further cut in corporate tax rates to rebates for transport and rental costs.

Tax experts also hope to see Budget items such as tax exemption for income received by companies from abroad and ‘green’ incentives.

Still, after last year’s sterling corporate profits and a 2 percentage point cut in corporate taxes to 18 per cent, they do not expect a bagful of goodies this year.

But faced with the spectre of a global slowdown, companies are hopeful that the Government will dish out more measures to minimise the pain of rising costs.

‘What is unique about this year’s Budget is that inflation concerns are the dominant theme,’ noted Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) chief executive Predeep Menon.

Fears that rising business costs will erode competitiveness in a global market is one of the key issues keeping the 800 corporate members of SICCI up at night, he said.

This was reflected starkly in a recent survey of 556 companies by the Singapore Business Federation about their Budget wish list. Almost 40 per cent of the companies polled hope to see a cut in corporate tax rates, with some seeking a 1 percentage point cut to 17 per cent.

Another 31 per cent of respondents called for tax measures to help cut rental costs, while 16 per cent wanted help in handling steeper operating costs. Other key concerns are transport, utilities and labour costs.

Tax experts and industry players said the Budget is likely to tackle inflation. But rather than sweeping measures to tackle costs across all sectors, the Budget is likely to target specific sectors to relieve cost pressures.

Lowering the levy for foreign workers to help the manufacturing sector could serve as a means to manage rising labour costs, said Mr Edwin Khew, president of the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation.

Also, the Budget may grant the shipping industry’s wish for an extension of concessions to companies to get tax exemption on gains from the sale of vessels, due to end this year, said Mr Chiu Wu Hong, KPMG executive director, tax services.

Tax rebates on transportation costs may be offered to logistics companies, which are hardest hit by rising oil costs and road taxes.

Singapore companies may get tax incentives to expand in the Middle East or Eastern Europe to diversify their business away from the United States, suggested Association of Small and Medium Enterprises president Lawrence Leow.

Consumer-related and services companies are also hoping for a cut in personal taxes so that consumer demand would not be too severely dampened by inflation.

Mr Roman Scott, economic spokesman for the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, called for a tiered reduction of the top personal tax rate from 20 per cent to 18 per cent over two years.

Tax experts also called for measures to enhance the tax regime to attract more foreign companies and build up certain key sectors.

Ernst & Young partner for tax services Choo Eng Chuan suggested that the Government consider using fiscal measures such as providing additional tax depreciation on equipment that reduces pollution or saves energy to complement its national policy to make Singapore an eco-friendly hub.

To promote the wealth management sector, a key growth engine of Singapore’s financial hub, Mr Yeo Kai Eng, Ernst & Young partner for GST services, suggested that the Government allow trusts to recover the GST incurred on their business expenses in full.

GST of 7 per cent is currently levied on fund management services or legal services provided to trusts with Singapore trustees and overseas beneficiaries.

Another bugbear plaguing the industry is estate duties. ‘Many other jurisdictions have already abolished it.

May it rest in peace in Singapore,’ said PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner David Sandison.

Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chief executive Philip Overmyer called for the removal of a tax that companies in Singapore pay on the income they bring in from overseas units.

He noted that other jurisdictions like Malaysia and Hong Kong have done away with this tax.

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

US-linked worries drag Asian markets down

Delayed reaction due to holiday break as recession fears dog investors

ASIAN stock markets were battered yesterday, after a four-day break for the new lunar year failed to dispel the same old fears that have been unnerving investors.

Steep falls on Wall Street last week had a delayed reaction here as markets waited to re-open after the holiday, with a rush for the exits once the opening bells rang.

Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) tumbled 63.68 points, or 2.17 per cent – to 2,868.29, its lowest close since Jan 22.

But volumes were relatively low with just 1.08 billion shares worth $1.64 billion traded, suggesting that most investors are seeking safety on the sidelines.

But the STI’s drop was nothing compared to the selldown in India, where the Sensex Index plunged 4.78 per cent, after a much-awaited stock listing made its debut more than 17 per cent below its issue price.

India was joined on a southward spiral by Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, which slumped 3.64 per cent, and South Korea’s Kospi Index, down 3.29 per cent.

Markets in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia were also belted.

JP Morgan Private Bank’s senior portfolio manager, Mr Elan Cohen, said: ‘The weight of negative news in the US last week and the 4 to 5 per cent fall in stocks there factored heavily in Asian markets today.’

Wall Street, racked by recession fears and more subprime red ink, dived 4.4 per cent last week to close at 12,182.13 – down more than 8 per cent for the year.

The already jittery Asian market sentiment was exacerbated by comments from the Group of Seven policymakers who said yesterday that the global economy faces growing threats from a United States housing slump and credit crunch.

The wave of pessimism sent the STI down from the opening bell, with many blue chips taking a hit. Weaker US futures during Asian trading hours pushed the STI further south in the afternoon.

The banks were thumped. United Overseas Bank dropped 58 cents to $17, the day’s fifth-largest loser. DBS Group Holdings lost 36 cents to $16.66, while OCBC shed 16 cents to $7.14.

Property plays were also down. City Developments shed 40 cents to $11.06, Keppel Land lost nine cents to $5.74 and CapitaLand fell 23 cents to $5.45.

Other bruised blue chips included Singapore Exchange, off 47 cents to $8.79, and Singapore Airlines, which retreated 28 cents to $15.18.

The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index lost 1.7 per cent to 752.55, while the China Index plunged 3.1 per cent to 524.54.

But SingTel had a better day, adding a cent to $3.72 due to bullish analyst reports, while Neptune Orient Lines was up 10 cents at $3.20 ahead of its full-year results today.

Analysts warn of more volatility to come but note that the worst may soon be over.

DMG & Partners Securities senior dealing director Gabriel Yap said: ‘The downside could last another one to three months more. We’re already quite close to the bottom.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

Write-downs from sub-prime problems could touch $568b

German minister sounds warning as officials await audits from banks

THE bloodbath is not over yet.

Sub-prime-related write- offs may hit US$400 billion (S$567.8 billion) – more than treble the US$130 billion losses that Wall Street banks and other financial institutions have revealed in recent weeks, according to the world’s top finance officials.

Speaking on Saturday after last weekend’s Group of Seven (G-7) meeting in Tokyo, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said the grouping now feared that write-offs of losses on securities linked to United States sub-prime mortgages could reach US$400 billion.

This is also far bigger than the US Federal Reserve’s estimates for sub-prime losses last year of US$100 billion to US$150 billion.

According to Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi, the next two weeks will be critical in revealing how much damage the credit crisis has done to the global financial system.

‘The next 10 days to two weeks will be crucial because we are going to have the first audited accounts from financial institutions since the crisis started,’ said Mr Draghi, who is the chairman of the Financial Stability Forum (FSF). The FSF, a committee of international regulators and central bankers, is heading an international inquiry into the crisis.

Some of the world’s biggest banks have already disclosed billions of dollars of bad credits related to the US sub-prime mortgage market collapse, but these are only preliminary estimates, he added.

‘Auditors have become more vigilant’ as the fallout from the sub-prime crisis continues to spread and audited accounts for last year could reveal a grimmer picture, Mr Draghi told The Business Times.

The FSF’s preliminary report at the G-7 meeting warned that ‘there remains risk that further shocks may lead to a recurrence of the acute liquidity pressures experienced last year’, adding that ‘it is likely we face a prolonged adjustment, which could be difficult’.

Mr Draghi also said regulators were ready to force banks to reveal their losses and replenish their equity ratios.

He did not rule out the possibility that governments might eventually need to inject capital into banks, although he stressed that market solutions should take precedence. The FSF will issue its full report on the causes of the credit crisis and ways to tackle it in April.

The G-7 policymakers, in their statement, painted a grim picture, saying the US economy may slow further, eroding global growth, while banks, despite falling interest rates, will tighten credit even further.

While the G-7 did not propose specific measures, European Central Bank (ECB) president Jean-Claude Trichet said countries will do what was necessary, both individually and collectively, to counter a ‘significant market correction’.

Economists, however, said the ECB is held back from cutting interest rates by its fears of rising inflation.

‘The problems are going right through all parts of the financial markets and there’s not much the G-7 can do about this,’ Mr Gilles Moec, an economist at Bank of America in London, told Australia’s The Age newspaper.

‘There’s a danger that the downturn will become a self- fulfilling prophecy,’ he was quoted as saying.

 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Feb 08

Singapore’s competitive edge eroding

Hourly wage cost rise for production staff in 2006 was second highest among 33 locations in US study

(SINGAPORE) A shortage of talent is still the biggest headache for businesses in Singapore, but sharp pay hikes in recent years – on top of increases in rentals and other costs – are triggering concerns about the island’s competitive edge.

And this comes just as the US Department of Labor released data showing that American factories here have been among the hardest hit by the rising wage costs US manufacturers are facing in most of their overseas operations.

In US dollar terms, the hourly wage cost for production workers in Singapore – including contributions to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) – shot up sharply by 17.1 per cent to US$8.55 in 2006 (the latest year for which data is available), bouncing back from a 2.3 per cent dip in 2005. For 2007, costs in US dollar terms probably rose even more, partly due to the strengthening of the Singapore dollar against the greenback.

Only in Brazil, among the 33 overseas locations in the study, was the increase higher in 2006 – up 17.8 per cent to US$4.91, according to a study by the US Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Pay in Singapore continued to shoot up in 2007. Polls taken showed Singapore workers have been enjoying the biggest bonuses in Asia in the past two years – and their pay, already higher than that in emerging economies, was rising just as fast as in these economies.

Economists and businesses acknowledge that the jump in pay reflects the tight local labour market, as employers up salaries to attract scarce workers. But the persistence and scale of the increases are leading bosses to keep a closer eye on wage movements. And some observers caution that if they continue, sharp pay hikes will hurt Singapore’s competitiveness.

‘Singapore doesn’t compete on wage costs,’ said Robert Prior-Wandesforde, an economist at HSBC Bank.

‘Nevertheless, there must come a point that the (wage increases) become problematic.’

According to him, Singapore’s manufacturing costs continued to rise sharply last year even as production dipped in the final quarter. HSBC estimated that the unit labour costs of manufacturing here went up by around 15 per cent year- on-year in the last three months of 2007.

‘By any standards, this is an extraordinary rise, particularly for such an internationally exposed sector and, if sustained, will seriously threaten the competitiveness of the sector,’ Mr Prior-Wandesforde said in a report released last week.

For now, according to Song Seng Wun, CIMB- GK’s research head, there is enough business for companies here to sustain higher salaries. Still, he cautions that they have to ‘watch out’ as the global economy grows more uncertain down the road.

Which is what many companies are already doing, although their main worry is still hiring enough staff to meet orders, according to Philip Overmyer, chief executive of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce.

Yet, at least in the eyes of US manufacturers, the pay hikes in recent years could have blunted some of Singapore’s competitive edge.

‘Hourly compensation costs in Brazil, South Korea (15.5 per cent), the Philippines (16.2 per cent) and Singapore all showed double-digit growth in 2006,’ says the BLS in its study.

The compensation costs on a US dollar basis are often used as indicators of competitiveness of manufactured goods in world trade.

The BLS study shows hourly compensation costs for production workers in the US were flat at US$23.82 in 2006, while those in the 33 foreign locations in the study jumped 4.7 per cent. The result: manufacturing wages in these locations edged up to an average 82 per cent of the US pay level, up from 79 per cent in 2005.

Among the Asian Newly Industrialising Economies (NIEs) – Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan – the hourly compensation increase for production workers was 9.5 per cent in US dollar terms, raising their wage levels from 37 to 42 per cent of that of the US.

Singapore’s hourly production wage level rose from 31 per cent in 2005 to 36 per cent of that of the US – the highest since 2000.

The stronger currencies of the 33 locations contributed 2.1 percentage points of the 4.7 per cent rise, while domestic wage jumps accounted for 2.6 percentage points.

‘The movements of foreign currencies relative to the US dollar in 2006 had an influence on hourly manufacturing compensation costs measured in US dollars,’ the BLS report says.

In local currency, the hourly production wage costs in Singapore surged 13.57 per cent in 2006, the study says. The Singapore dollar rose 4.8 per cent against the greenback that year.

‘Singapore doesn’t compete on wage costs. Nevertheless, there must come a point that the (wage increases) become problematic.’ – Robert Prior-Wandesforde, an economist at HSBC Bank

 

Source: Business Times 11 Feb 08

Jakarta to cut 2008 growth forecast on downside risks

(TOKYO) Indonesia will cut this year’s growth forecast amid greater ‘downside’ risks stemming from record oil prices and a global economic slowdown, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said.

South-east Asia’s largest economy is expected to grow between 6.4 per cent and 6.5 per cent in 2008, lower than the 6.8 per cent expansion predicted earlier this year, Ms Sri Mulyani said. ‘We are working on a new forecast taking into account the prospect of a global recession and the effect of higher commodity prices,’ she said on Saturday in an interview here. ‘Higher growth is becoming even more difficult.’

Indonesia’s non-oil export growth has dropped below 10 per cent four times in the past five months, less than half the 23 per cent average of the previous year. That may threaten tax revenue for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s government, which has increased subsidies on cooking oil and rice and will this year double spending to cap fuel prices.

‘If exports slow, that translates into negative growth,’ said Helmi Arman, an economist at PT Bahana Securities in Jakarta. ‘The wild card is domestic demand.’

Ms Sri Mulyani was in Tokyo to attend a meeting between finance ministers from the Group of Seven nations and their counterparts from China, Russia, South Korea and Indonesia.

‘We’re still very optimistic from the domestic side, but we’re looking at the export risks,’ she said. ‘Our deficit will be larger than originally planned’ because of food subsidies, in additional to money being spent to keep energy affordable to consumers.

Indonesia may spend 106.8 trillion rupiah (S$16.4 billion) this year in capping fuel prices, up from an earlier estimate of 45.8 trillion rupiah, while it may spend 44.2 trillion rupiah on keeping power costs below market rates, the Finance Ministry said in a proposal submitted to Parliament last month.

The government has also set aside 2.6 trillion rupiah to finance a plan to allow poor families to buy 15 kg of rice a month at subsidised prices, up from a 10 kg limit last year.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

Taxes to be cut despite rising inflation: Rudd

Govt is optimistic about growth prospects: minister

(SYDNEY) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the government will go ahead with promised tax cuts, even as inflation rises at the fastest pace in 16 years.

‘There will be absolutely no change to people having tax cuts to take as additional income,’ Mr Rudd said on the Nine television network’s ‘Sunday’ programme. He said inflation remains the government’s greatest challenge.

Australia’s annual core inflation accelerated to 3.8 per cent in the fourth quarter, the fastest since 1991. The central bank aims to keep price gains between 2 per cent and 3 per cent on average.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said he remained optimistic about the outlook for the Australian economy amid the highest borrowing costs in 11 years and concern the United States is headed for recession.

‘We do face substantial challenges but I think our growth prospects are very solid,’ Mr Swan said yesterday on channel Ten’s ‘Meet the Press’ programme. ‘It’s a very big inflation problem. We have to deal with it because inflation pushes up interest rates, erodes living standards and, in the end, inflation is a threat to growth.’

The economy is showing few signs of cooling as rising consumer spending and exports to China help Australia ride out a global financial market slump. It grew 4.3 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier, the fastest pace in three years.

The Reserve Bank of Australia last week increased the overnight cash rate target to an 11-year high of 7 per cent.

A US recession would probably curb global economic growth, cooling demand for Australia’s exports. Increased borrowing costs, rising living costs and declining share prices may also damp consumer spending in coming months.

Mr Swan said measures allowing customers to more easily switch banks will bolster competition in the sector and help keep borrowing costs lower. Cuts to public spending will also curb inflation.

‘We have to really take the axe to public spending given the inflation problem that we’ve inherited,’ he said. ‘And that will mean that we will go through the budget looking at all areas of the budget to make the savings that are absolutely essential if we’re going to put downward pressure on inflation and downward pressure on interest rates.’

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

NEWS ANALYSIS: Financial fears form correlation between oil and equities

Liquidation, profit taking in energy markets offset losses in equities

(LONDON) Oil and other commodities typically lag more mainstream assets, making them attractive as investment portfolio diversifiers, but since January, they have been swept up in the volatility gripping nervous equity markets.

The correlation between US crude and US equities has been 82 per cent, compared with 37 per cent the previous year and -63 per cent in 2006, according to figures from Standard Life covering the start of the year to last week.

For North Sea Brent crude and British equities, the link has been even tighter at 88 per cent, compared with 7 per cent last year and -37 per cent in 2006.

The new-found – and probably short-lived – closeness can be explained at least in part by liquidation and profittaking in energy markets to help to offset losses in equities and other assets that have headed lower in response to fears of recession.

‘At times oil and equities can briefly track each other for a variety of reasons . . . but there is nothing stable in that relationship,’ said Antoine Halff of Newedge brokerage.

The economic worries that have driven selling on stock markets are also bearish for oil markets as an economic slowdown would reduce demand, but traditionally oil markets react at a different pace from equities.

‘Equities discount growth fluctuations upfront. Commodities do it when it actually happens . . . Equities will fall first going into recession and recover first,’ said Tim Bond of Barclays Capital.

Negative correlation, or commodities and equities behaving differently, is useful for long-term investors, who want balanced portfolios.

But for some speculators on the oil markets, the stock market sell-off has provided much-needed direction.

‘The oil market has been in a relatively quiet period with no major winter threats, no major supply disruptions, and the higher volatility in equities has become a directional input for oil markets that were lacking a clear driver,’ said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix.

He traced the link between oil and equities back to Jan 17, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke a major support line and he too predicted that the correlation would be temporary.

Technical traders can run an algorithmic model that trades oil according to equity indexes when the correlation becomes high.

‘This will work as long as the two markets trade on the same fear factor, but will break down as soon as the core fundamentals start to price back in,’ Mr Jakob said.

Fundamentals of supply and demand for oil and other commodities remain strong and are likely to do so for as long as economic growth fears are focused on the United States and Europe.

These regions have accounted for a small proportion of incremental demand compared with the expanding Chinese market.

‘Chinese growth estimates have slipped a couple of points,’ said Mr Bond.

‘If they slip another couple of percentage points, we’d have a more convincing case for commodities coming off.’

The growth of consumption in China and elsewhere in Asia has tightened supplies to the extent that commodities in general look more resilient than they have during previous economic slowdowns.

‘Commodity prices are more inelastic to changes in growth than they were in the past,’ said Mr Bond.

Over time, they were still expected to perform the task of diversifying a portfolio, although in the event of ‘a severe downturn’, they would be expected to fall in line with general market weakness.

Fundamentals for oil can always be strengthened by producer group the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), which can cut supply in an effort to support prices.

‘Opec – specifically Saudi Arabia – has a record of acting as swing producer, reining in flows when demand drops,’ said Mr Halff.

He added, however, that Opec’s ability to manage supplies should not be overstated and the lengthy amounts of time needed to bring on new supplies is one of the reasons oil markets tend to lag other asset classes.

‘While the demand side of the oil market may broadly track the underlying economic cycle, the supply side doesn’t do so as closely because of the long lead time of oil development projects,’ said Mr Halff.

Oil prices can set the pace, as well as follow. A major oil supply shock, for instance, would have knock-on effects for equity markets, which include significant numbers of resource-holding companies sensitive to commodity price movements.

‘UK equities have a large oil component in them – 17.4 per cent – plus mining – 9.5 per cent – meaning that more than a quarter of the equity market is commodity price sensitive,’ said Richard Batty of Standard Life.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

Critical week for news of sub-prime damage: G-7

Leading banks to present first audited accounts since crisis

IN TOKYO

THIS week will be critical in revealing how much damage the credit crisis has done to the global financial system, according to a key official involved in last weekend’s meeting of Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers in Tokyo.

Leading banks will present the first audited accounts since the crisis erupted, said Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi, who heads an international inquiry into the crisis.

Some of the world’s biggest banks have already disclosed billions of dollars of bad credits related to the US subprime mortgage market collapse but these are only preliminary estimates, said Mr Draghi, who chairs the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) working group on the crisis. ‘The next ten days will be crucial’ in revealing the true extent of the damage, he said after the G-7 meeting ended last Saturday.

‘Auditors have become more vigilant’ as fallout from the sub-prime crisis continues to spread and audited accounts for 2007 could reveal a grimmer picture, Mr Draghi told BT. The FSF report warned that ‘there remains risk that further shocks may lead to a recurrence of the acute liquidity pressures experienced last year’, adding that ‘it is likely we face a prolonged adjustment, which could be difficult’.

G-7 ministers and central bank governors shied away from any concerted fiscal or monetary actions to address the crisis at their Tokyo meeting but said that they were ‘deeply engaged in working together to strengthen financial stability, limit the impact of the financial turmoil and address the factors that contributed to it’. But even as the crisis unfolds, they recognised its growing impact on the global economy.

‘The current financial turmoil is serious and persisting,’ acknowledged US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson after huddling with his colleagues from Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Britain and Italy. ‘There was a climate of much greater pessimism and worry than in October (when G-7 finance ministers last met) in Washington,’ added Italian Finance Minister Tommaso Padoa Schioppa.

The Tokyo meeting revealed continuing splits among finance ministers as to how far the global economy will slow under the impact of the sub-prime crisis, and what actions G-7 governments should take to combat a slowdown.

Japanese Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga called these ‘differences rather than discord’ and said that each country should take whatever actions are appropriate to its circumstances. But they agreed that ‘the world confronts a more challenging and uncertain environment than when we met last October’.

With spreading financial turbulence and the threat of recession looming in the world’s two biggest economies – the US and Japan – the finance and central bank officials paid little attention to issues such as exchange rates which usually dominate G-7 meetings. And, although they called on Opec countries to raise production in a bid to control spiralling oil prices, it was the shaky state of the global financial system that was at centre stage.

‘The potential exists that risk-shedding (by banks and other financial institutions) could tighten constraints on a widening set of borrowers and thereby slow economic growth, which could further impair growth,’ the FSF said in its interim report presented to the G-7. The final report on solutions to the credit crisis is due in April, when the ministers next meet in Washington.

Led by this year’s chairman, Mr Nukaga, the G-7 ministers called for greater disclosure by financial institutions of the full extent of damage to their balance sheets from the sub-prime mortgage and credit crisis. But there are growing fears the process will reveal huge holes in the capital base of global financial institutions. ‘There was a general view the need for write-offs at banks will amount to about US$400 billion,’ said German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck.

Mr Nukaga, meanwhile, warned his G-7 colleagues that Japan’s own financial crisis after the collapse of the bubble economy had forced authorities to inject huge amounts of public funds into toppling banks. Japan left it ‘too late’ in dealing with the situation, one senior financial source told BT.

 

Source: Business Times 11 Feb 08

Sub-prime probes focus on disclosure, valuation

(WASHINGTON) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating how banks, creditrating firms and lenders valued and disclosed complex mortgage-backed securities that ultimately led to the sub-prime crisis, a top agency enforcer said on Saturday.

‘The big question is, who knew what when, and what did they disclose to the marketplace?’ said Cheryl Scarboro, an associate director in the SEC’s enforcement division in charge of the sub-prime working group.

The SEC has opened about three dozen investigations into firms and individuals involved in the sub-prime mortgage market.

The investor protection agency has not named any names. But Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch are some of the firms in the financial services industry that have disclosed that government investigators are seeking information about their sub-prime activities.

Ms Scarboro said the cases can be broken down into three main areas: the securitisation process, the origination process and the retail area. Insider trading is also a key area.

‘Our investigations into potential misconduct is clearly a priority at the division,’ Ms Scarboro said at a Practising Law Institute conference in Washington.

Banks, due diligence firms and credit-rating agencies are being examined for their role in the securitisation process, or how mortgages were sold, repackaged and bundled into special financial products. The SEC is looking at the valuations and accounting treatments of mortgage-backed securities.

It is looking at whether the securities were valued correctly in the first place, what was the level of risk and if that was adequately disclosed to shareholders.

The methodology and models that companies used to value the complex financial products are being examined as well.

The agency also is looking at write-downs that financial firms have been forced to take and whether the assets should have been taken down and disclosed earlier.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

A year of denial in US sub-prime crisis

It took months for a consensus that crisis would spread to the broader economy

(NEW YORK) One year after the first alarm bells of the sub-prime mortgage crisis rang in Wall Street, many of its victims are trading at half their value or less, while others have long been buried.

On Feb 8, 2007, HSBC said it would take a charge of about US$10.6 billion on sub-prime loans. The evening before, the No 2 US sub-prime lender, New Century Financial Corp, had unexpectedly warned it faced a quarterly loss and said it would restate previous earnings.

New Century shares lost more than a third of their value on Feb 8, but to look at the overall market, there was no telling how big a toll the crisis would take on the US stock market; the S&P 500 shed less than 2 points that day.

By spring, the stocks of sub-prime lenders were falling into a death spiral and dropped from the major exchanges in steady succession.

On April 2, New Century filed for bankruptcy protection.

American Home Mortgage Investment Corp followed in August.

Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co was bought out by a private equity firm in October.

Countrywide Financial Corp, the nation’s No 1 lender, hit a high of US$44.92 on Feb 7, 2007; the shares are now trading at US$6.58 as it awaits a takeover by Bank of America Corp.

But despite the bloodbath in the mortgage finance sector, investors last autumn were still confident enough that the sub-prime debacle was contained that they pushed both the Dow and S&P 500 to lifetime highs on Oct 11.

From its intraday high on Oct 11 to last Friday’s close, the S&P 500 index has fallen 15.5 per cent.

‘That’s been the history of the last year – denial, denial denial,’ said Gary Shilling, president of A Gary Shilling & Co, an investment research firm in Springfield, New Jersey. ‘That’s what held stocks up in October.’

That confidence was shaken shortly after, when Merrill Lynch warned it would have to write down billions of dollars more in sub-prime-related debt than it had previously said. Citigroup, Bear Stearns and others added to the writedown chorus.

In a year, Merrill Lynch has fallen nearly 45 per cent.

Citigroup stock has fallen more than 52 per cent and Bear Stearns has shed nearly 51 per cent. In addition to millions in market capitalisation, all three firms have lost their chief executives.

By New Year, consensus formed that the sub-prime crisis would indeed spread beyond the mortgage and financial market and into the broader economy, and potentially beyond US borders.

‘More recently, people realised the theory of decoupling was a fairytale, that the US really is the world’s economic leader,’ Mr Shilling said. ‘There’s still a lot of denial. The consensus is begrudgingly admitting we’re into or close to recession, but the consensus is now that it will be over in the first half of the year.’

Wall Street may have been late to recognise the impact of the sub-prime crisis, but the public caught on fast.

Less than a year after HSBC and New Century fired their warning flares, the television show Law and Order featured a plot about a con artist who scammed sub-prime mortgage holders facing foreclosure to sign over their homes.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

Odds of US recession now at 50%: Blue Chip forecast

Outlook dampened by data showing a contraction in hiring, consumer spending

(WASHINGTON) The odds of a US recession have increased and stand at nearly 50 per cent amid a spate of data showing a weakening labour market, signs of more credit tightening and turmoil in the financial markets, the latest Blue Chip economic forecast projects.

A month ago, economists in this closely watched forecast put the chance that the world’s richest economy would fall into recession at 40 per cent, but government data showing a contraction in hiring, slowed consumer spending and other reports pointing to sagging business activity have indicated a much more deteriorated outlook.

Among those economists, slightly more than 20 per cent are now expecting to see the economy contract in at least one or two quarters.

‘The economic malaise that originated in the housing sector during 2006 (and) spread to the financial market in 2007, now appears to be infecting Main Street,’ the newsletter wrote.

And even as the economy slows, inflation is expected to creep higher.

The majority of those surveyed between Feb 5 and 6, however, continue to say that a recession will be avoided.

But growth is going to be weak.

Economists are now projecting that the economy will grow by just 1.7 per cent in all of 2008, down from the 2.2 per cent forecast a month ago.

Blue Chip economists are expecting that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates to help avert a recession. They expect that the central bank will reduce its target federal funds rate by at least half a percentage point more this year.

Last month, the Fed cut benchmark interest rates by a sharp 1.25 percentage points in a bold move to support growth as weakness, which was largely contained in the housing market last year, began to spread.

The series of recent cuts took overnight rates, which stood at 5.25 per cent in early September, down to 3 per cent.

But those rate cuts may fuel inflation, a concern that has been voiced by a growing number of economists and some Fed officials.

‘Despite lowered expectations for economic growth, consensus forecasts of inflation this year continued to creep higher,’ the newsletter said.

Consumer prices, excluding food and energy, are expected to increase 2.3 per cent in 2008 and by 2.2 per cent in 2009, well above the Fed’s 2 per cent comfort ceiling.

New home building activity is expected to drop by 25 per cent from levels seen in 2007.

‘All of our panelists think real residential investment will remain a drag on GDP growth during the first half of this year and 42 per cent of them say it will subtract from GDP growth throughout 2008,’ the newsletter said.

The consensus predicts that sales of both new and existing homes will fall another 14 per cent this year and prices will decline 9.3 per cent.

Even so, the trade sector is expected to remain the bright spot in the economy, as the decline in the value of the US dollar and better growth abroad has fuelled demand for American goods.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 11 Feb 08)

New HDB upgrading scheme won’t add much more to resale prices

The Home Improvement Programme will not boost prices of resale flats as much because upgrading is on a smaller scale, say property experts

THE Home Improvement Programme (HIP) is the newest kid on the block in the Housing Board’s two-decade long upgrading scheme.

Property experts, however, say that it will have a far smaller impact on the value of flats compared to previous upgrading plans. This is because upgrading under HIP will be smaller in scale.

HIP and another scheme, the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), are devised to stretch the government dollar over many more households and to pay closer attention to residents’ views. They will be rolled out soon in up to 12 locations islandwide, including Yishun and Tampines.

The outgoing Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) involved more extensive work as it overhauled the insides of flats with new toilets, extra rooms and doors, as well as the common areas of the blocks and precincts.

The MUP proved a gold mine for people like Mrs N. L. Chan, who bought her four-room flat in Holland Close for $290,000 in September 2006, when her estate was in the last throes of the upgrading programme.

Just eight months later, she sold it for $330,000 as she had to move closer to her daughter in Dover Crescent.

Such jumps in value may be harder to come by under HIP, say property agents.

The new programme focuses on the essential improvements in the flat, such as the repair of spalling concrete and replacement of waste pipes.

Once at least 75 per cent of flat owners vote for such upgrading, this essential work is compulsory, although it is fully paid for by the Government. The flat owners, however, have the option of having their doors and toilets replaced at a subsidised rate.

Meanwhile, the NRP promises to spruce up a few adjoining sites together, unlike the previous Interim Upgrading Programme Plus scheme which was conducted in one precinct at a time.

Apart from the economies of scale, the bigger budget under the amended programme would make it possible for items such as tennis courts and skating parks to be considered.

About 300,000 flats will be eligible for the HIP, while 200,000 units can undergo work for the NRP.

A third programme – lift upgrading – will run concurrently with the new schemes. This aims to give almost every HDB flat resident direct lift access to his floor by 2014.

The director of Dennis Wee Properties, Mr Chris Koh, estimates that while the MUP usually boosts a flat’s value by $20,000 to $30,000 over and above what the flat owner pays for the upgrading work, the equivalent expected for flats which undergo HIP is only about $10,000.

This is because the work done will be smaller in scale.

While flats which undergo the MUP make a big impression with their additional rooms, new doors and windows, and spanking new precinct facilities around them, the improvements under the HIP may not be that noticeable.

More people, for example, are now likely to opt out of having new doors and windows to reduce their bills under the HIP.

It may not produce the ‘entire fresh look’ needed to raise the value of the home by much, said Mr Koh.

Similarly, the executive director of Roof Real Estate Group, Mr Dave Lau, does not expect the value of a home under the HIP programme to rise by more than 2 to 3 per cent, compared to 10 to 20 per cent under the MUP before.

But he reckoned that ‘the HIP would probably make property easier to sell’.

Both programmes were devised from the feedback received during a series of forums held last year to find out what it takes to strengthen bonding within HDB estates.

During these discussions, participants wanted a greater say in how their estate turned out.

No matter the smaller increase in value, the executive director for HSR property group, Mr Eric Cheng, said that buyers can usually wrangle a better price from sellers if they buy a flat that is undergoing upgrading, compared to after it is done.

Most of the time, sellers try to hold off putting their flat on the market until after upgrading, when the new look of their estate will bolster their position at the negotiating table.

 

Source: The Straits Times 10 Feb 08

Fragrance Group buys $4m Pasir Panjang Road site

DEVELOPER Fragrance Group said on Thursday that it has bought a freehold property at Pasir Panjang Road for $4 million.

Fragrance said the property has a land area of 3,450 sq ft, which means that the land cost was $1,159 per square foot (psf).

The company intends to redevelop the property for commercial uses subject to the necessary conditions and approvals from the relevant authorities, it said. The acquisition is funded by internal funds.

Fragrance said that the transaction is not expected to have any material impact on the earnings and net tangible assets of the company in its 2008 financial year.

Earlier this month, Fragrance reported that net profit for its 2007 financial year more than doubled from $14.8 million to $30.4 million as turnover rose 39.2 per cent to $136.1 million.

The company attributed the increase to its property development business which contributed $112.5 million to revenue. Its hotel business contributed the other $23.6 million.

Fragrance’s shares closed half a cent up on Wednesday at $0.40, the last day of trading before the Chinese New Year break. The stock has climbed 10.5 per cent so far this year.

 

Source: Business Times 9 Feb 08

CentraLand to tap into commercial property market

It says China’s anti-speculative measures won’t hit property prices

CHINESE property developer CentraLand Ltd is poised to tap into the commercial property market in the city of Zhengzhou with its ongoing development of J-Expo, a wholesale commodities building located in the heart of Zhengzhou city.

Yan Tao, executive director and chief executive officer of CentraLand, said in Mandarin that he has been observing the property market for the past 10 years and recognised a demand in the commercial property market which other industry players had failed to meet adequately.

Located at the junction of the main road and rail network in Central China, Zhengzhou city enjoys good traffic and is an important wholesale centre, especially for women’s apparels.

Branding itself as a premium brand property developer, CentraLand specialises in high-end residential and commercial developments.

Mr Yan said that the recent anti-speculative measures of the Chinese government have had minimal impact on his company.

This is because its target consumers are either well-heeled residents in Henan province who pay cash for their residences in developments like Guoling Shanshui in the suburban area of Zhengzhou city or businessmen who buy retail and office units in J-Expo.

These consumer habits are unlikely to change due to the cooling measures.

Mr Yan said: ‘The measures are not meant to bring down the property prices in China.

‘Rather, they are implemented to ensure that property prices continue to rise, albeit in a healthy and progressive way.’

Mr Yan said that the measures are aimed at the ‘bubble’ created due to the phenomenal growth in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Hence, the impact of the measures is not that great on second and third-tier cities like Zhengzhou.

Mr Yan believed that the China property market presents more opportunities than challenges due to the rising affluence of its people.

Referring to a Chinese saying that one shop can support three generations of a family, Mr Yan believed that the typical Chinese businessman would be more than willing to invest in a shopfront as his disposable income increases.

Mr Yan also considered the recent listing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) as a strategic move in terms of talent management.

His company’s listing in Singapore is expected to increase the appeal of the company to promising talents.

Already, the listing has helped Mr Yan persuade a friend from Carrefour China to join his company.

Mr Yan is confident that with the listing, his company would be able to offer higher salaries to its employees. This should help to retain talent in the company too.

While it had considered Hong Kong, CentraLand decided that SGX was more suitable for its medium-sized operations since there are already many larger players in the Hong Kong market.

Instead of being a medium-sized fish competing with bigger fish in the unexplored seas, the company would rather be in familiar waters.

CentraLand also chose Singapore over other South-east Asian countries based on the recommendation and experience of CentraLand’s other major shareholder, Li Wei, who owns Synear Food Holdings, a Singapore-listed frozen dumpling maker in Zhengzhou city.

Mr Yan believed that with a clear strategy, efficient management team and strong financial background, the company should be able to face the everyday challenges in the property market.

Following the listing on SGX, CentraLand’s operations will continue to concentrate geographically in the city of Zhengzhou in Henan province but the company is consistently on the lookout for opportunities to expand.

CentraLand shares closed 0.5 cents higher on Wednesday at 60.5 cents with 1.1 million shares traded.

 

Source: Business Times 9 Feb 08

China faces economic, political woes on price fears

(CHONGQING, China) China is supposed to be getting richer, but for Liu Gaohua, rising prices on everything from cabbages to houses mean life is only getting tougher.

‘It’s hard to get by day-to-day,’ said the resident of Chongqing, a western Chinese industrial city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze river.

‘We eat less pork than before. Before, we would eat it every day. Now it’s just too expensive. We eat it about every third or fourth day,’ he said.

Mr Liu, who works in the railway industry and is married with a 14-year-old son, is typical of those being squeezed hardest by soaring prices – the lower middle-class urban residents far from China’s wealthier coastal cities.

With consumer prices rising at their fastest rate in 11 years, China’s inflation is not only a sign of economic woes, it has become a political challenge for a leadership worried that any slowdown will erode its support and trigger instability.

President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and their team of economic policy-makers find themselves caught between the goals of their reform programme and their need to step in to moderate prices and ward off the spectre of social unrest that has haunted every generation of China’s Communist rulers.

Inflation figures have been disproportionately affected by rising food costs, especially staples like pork and cooking oil, leading some economists to predict the rises would not last.

But others say that Mr Hu and Mr Wen might be victims of the very success of their programme to build a ‘harmonious society’.

The term has become a catch-phrase referring to a model of more moderate growth that seeks to account for costs previously overlooked, from worker safety to environmental protection. An emphasis on work safety means smaller coal mines are being shut down, a campaign on food and product safety has taken some of the cheaper – and more harmful – pesticides and fertilisers off the shelves and a crackdown on polluters is forcing factories to install better equipment. Wages are also rising as the reservoir of surplus labour begins to be mopped up.

But all of that reflects a broader adjustment in the economy that could mean higher prices will not quickly abate.

‘There’s obviously mounting costs all along the way,’ said Matthew Crabbe, managing director of consumer research group Access Asia.

For some residents, the benefit of those policies that aim to save lives, curb environmental degradation and create a more equitable society, are being obscured by the only immediate consequence they see: the effect on their wallets. Mrs Li, a 52-year-old housewife, complains that she pays about 15 yuan (S$2.96) per half kilo of pork, compared with six yuan a year ago.

It was in a supermarket here in Chongqing that three people were killed in a November supermarket stampede as they scrambled for cut-price cooking oil.

Housing prices in the gritty port city are also soaring.

Mrs Li, who only gave her surname, said that houses in Chongqing were going for around 7,000 yuan per square metre, compared to about 1,200 per square metre a few years ago. ‘We have no means to get by,’ she said.

Her friend, joining her in a game of cards at a chilly temple courtyard tucked away from the city’s bustle, chimed in. ‘Wages are rising but the price of food is going up much faster,’ said the woman, surnamed Tan. ‘Our demands, our wishes, are that the government controls this. They shouldn’t let prices rise too high.’

The government stepped in earlier this month, announcing that it would ‘temporarily intervene’ in the market to prevent excessive price rises, harkening back to China’s planned economy days.

‘Essentially, the government is saying, where possible, and especially if you are a state utility, don’t raise prices and contribute to these worries,’ said Yang Dali, director of Singapore’s East Asian Institute.

In the past few weeks, the Education Ministry has also weighed in with temporary subsidies for student canteens, and Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu called for stricter implementation of farming subsidies and preferential policies for rural workers.

The policy moves play to the image Mr Wen has cultivated for himself as a man of the people. But the strategy, while appeasing the masses, is not without risks.

‘The worry is, if you impose those price controls you may distort the price situation and let deformities increase over time,’ said Singapore’s East Asian Institute’s Yang Dali.

But without controls, the spectre of social unrest looms. Inflation is often cited as a reason the Nationalist government lost the civil war to Communists in 1948-49. Market relaxations in 1988 caused sharp price rises that were seen as contributing to discontent that culminated in the Tiananmen Square demonstrations a year later.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 9 Feb 08)

Growth may slow for first time in 3 years

Govt forecasts India’s economy to expand 8.7% as higher interest rates cool consumer demand

(NEW DELHI) India’s government expects economic growth to slow for the first time in three years, as higher interest rates cool consumer demand for homes, motorcycles and electric appliances.

Asia’s third largest economy is forecast to expand 8.7 per cent in the 12 months to March 31, the weakest pace since 2005, the statistics office said in a release in New Delhi on Thursday. Growth was 9.6 per cent last financial year.

The pace of expansion will still be the quickest after China among the world’s major economies. And it may remain so even if the US suffers a recession as India’s growth is being driven by the spending of a middle class of about 50 million people, equal to the combined population of Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia.

‘This is not a collapse,’ said Sonal Varma, a Mumbai-based economist at Lehman Brothers Inc. ‘Growth is slowing because of higher real interest rates. US recession or not, the structural drivers of India’s rising potential growth remain intact.’

The government’s growth estimate beats the central bank’s 8.5 per cent forecast and is almost in line with the average 8.8 per cent annual growth in the previous four years, the best expansion since the country’s independence in 1947.

Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram who said that he was ‘disappointed but not too despondent’, expects the final growth figure to be closer to target.

‘Growth will be closer to 9 per cent than what may appear at this moment,’ Mr Chidambaram told reporters here on Thursday.

Reserve Bank of India governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy has raised interest rates nine times since October 2004 and ordered banks to set aside more money as reserves five times since December 2006 to contain inflation stoked by rapid consumer demand and high oil and food prices. The central bank has also allowed the rupee to strengthen to near a decade-high to make imports cheaper.

Six of nine economists surveyed by Bloomberg News last week said that Mr Reddy will maintain the repurchase rate at 7.75 per cent, the highest in six years, in the next monetary policy statement on April 29, as inflation still does not reflect last year’s 57 per cent increase in crude oil costs.

Inflation, currently at a five-month high of 3.93 per cent, may also accelerate on increased money supply caused by capital flows from overseas investors, seeking higher returns in India, where growth is almost three times that in the US, Europe and Japan. Only China, among economies of more than US$500 billion, grew faster than India, at an 11.2 per cent pace last quarter.

Global investors bought a record US$17.2 billion of shares and US$2.3 billion of bonds in India last year.

Higher interest rates have reduced demand in some segments of the Indian economy. Property prices, for example, have declined. The value of residential flats in Gurgaon, a suburb outside the capital New Delhi, have dropped 40 per cent in the nine months ended Sept 30, according to real estate company Cushman & Wakefield Inc.

India’s manufacturing is expected to expand 9.4 per cent this fiscal year, according to Thursday’s statement.

Agricultural output may grow 2.6 per cent and financial services will advance 11.7 per cent. Bajaj Auto Ltd, India’s second largest motorcycle maker, posted a 7.2 per cent drop in sales in December, its 11th straight month of declines.

‘Rising incomes should support consumption growth,’ Andrea Richter Hume, an International Monetary Fund economist, said in a report on India this week. The IMF expected the South Asian nation to grow at 8 per cent ‘over the next few years’.

India’s middle class, those with annual disposable incomes between US$4,380 and US$21,890, has more than doubled to 50 million in the past decade, according to McKinsey & Co, the New York-based consulting firm. It estimated that this group will further increase tenfold to 583 million people by 2025.

Incomes are rising in India because of a spurt in economic growth after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh started dismantling barriers to foreign investment and other Soviet- style controls on industry when he was finance minister in 1991.

India’s economy has expanded at an average annual pace of 6.3 per cent since 1991, compared with growth of about 3.5 per cent between 1950 and 1980.

That acceleration in growth is attracting companies such as Glitnir Bank, Iceland’s third biggest lender by market value, and McDonald’s Corp to India.

‘We think this is the perfect time for us to come to India,’ said Bala Kamallakharan, executive director at Glitnir, which on Wednesday unveiled an Indian joint venture with the LNJ Bhilwara Group to produce thermal energy.

Glitnir is not alone in trying to tap opportunities in India. McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant company, last month said that it will boost its stores in India this year by as much as 30 per cent.

Volvo AB, the world’s second largest truckmaker, plans to create a joint venture with India’s Eicher Motors Ltd to win a larger share of the fourth largest truck market, the Swedish company said in December.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 9 Feb 08)

ECONOMY WATCH: Asia not immune to global market turbulence: ADB chief

Bank will help region if drastic slowdown occurs, by changing ‘lending priorities’

IN TOKYO

WITH the US economy poised on the brink of possible recession this year, the dangers of economic shocks being transmitted to Asia via trade and financial linkages are very real, Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Haruhiko Kuroda warned yesterday in Tokyo.

Asian economies are ‘not immune to global market turbulence and negative developments’, he told a symposium on regional growth prospects. The ADB stands ready to help the region, should a significant slowdown occur, by changing its ‘lending priorities’, Mr Kuroda told The Business Times after the meeting.

While he expected major Asian economies to continuing growing at relatively robust rates in 2008, certain smaller countries with low growth rates could need help, he indicated.

‘So far, the region’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals have helped mitigate the impact of a US slowdown,’ Mr Kuroda noted in his speech to the ADB seminar. Despite a slowing in US growth to 1.5 per cent this year projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the impact on the emerging countries of Asia should be limited by strong expansion in China and India.

But ‘a significant slowdown in the US economy would most certainly affect the region’s growth performance through trade, investment and financial linkages. With its unparalleled presence in world trade, finance and investment, the US exerts a significant influence on the global business cycle. A deep and prolonged US recession could be accompanied by much slower growth in Asia.’

Nearly 42 per cent of exports from emerging Asian economies still go to the Group of Three (G-3) economies – the US, European Union and Japan – and this figure rises above 60 per cent if that part of trade among Asian countries that eventually ends up in exports to the G-3 is included, Mr Kuroda said. ‘Changing conditions in the world’s major economies are still important to emerging Asian export growth.’

Global financial linkages are also strengthening, Mr Kuroda noted, ‘and emerging Asian stock markets tend to follow the US market closely. As stock markets in the region have grown and become more open to foreign investors, stock prices have become more sensitive to global financial shocks. And Asian economies have become more sensitive to swings in stock prices through the balance sheets of both households and financial institutions.’

Likewise, although the exposure of Asian banks to US sub-prime mortgages and related credit products has so far been small relative to the size of their assets, ‘spillovers from US and eventually other G-3 financial markets could be potentially large’, Mr Kuroda suggested. ‘The rapid transmission of financial volatility during the recent market sell-off is a vivid reminder of this region’s vulnerability to disruptions in the global financial system.

‘With the region’s trade, investment and financial linkages to global markets still high, potential spillover from a further tightening in global credit markets and a slowing in the US and other economies do pose a significant risk to the regional economic outlook.’

Asian policymakers need to take steps to bolster confidence in the region’s financial markets, Mr Kuroda suggested. They also need to take measures to increase domestic consumption – especially in China – and elsewhere to step up levels of domestic capital investment, which have flagged since crisis struck emerging Asia 10 years ago, he said.

Climate change will be a major theme of the ADB’s annual meeting in Madrid later this year, and Mr Kuroda urged the creation of a ‘pool of funds to help dampen the financial impact on countries that may be called upon to accommodate large populations displaced by climate change’. No single country ‘should have to bear the burden of climate-driven refugees on its own’, he said.

 

Source: Business Times 9 Feb 08

LATEST US DATA: ‘Painful’ and ‘drawn out’ recession likely: report

(NEW YORK) The US economy has entered a recession that will be more painful and drawn out than the usual downturn, the director of the Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey said yesterday.

Inflation pressures will linger despite the retrenchment in consumer spending, complicating the task of policy makers, the University’s Richard Curtin said in a report, citing data from industry group The Conference Board.

‘This is no ordinary recession,’ he said. ‘The after-effects will last much longer than the typical downturn.’

He said the Conference Board’s expectations index is a strong predictor of economic contractions, and that it is currently flashing red.

With Americans getting hit with everything from a housing downturn to excess borrowing, things will get worse before they get better.

‘Consumers must take more drastic steps to stabilise their finances in the midst of high fuel and food prices, stagnant incomes, and record debt,’ Mr Curtin said.

The new report adds that a rising wealth gap will, even more than usual, lead to disproportionate pain for middle and lower-income Americans.

‘Growing income inequality has insulated higher income groups to a greater extent than ever before,’ the report said.

Meanwhile, inventories of unsold goods at US wholesalers jumped a larger-than-expected 1.1 per cent in December, while wholesale sales of durable goods posted its biggest drop in more than six years, government data showed yesterday.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 9 Feb 08)

Rising cost of going en bloc adds to cooler market

New rules bump up lawyers’ fees, draw out collective sale process by months

GOING en bloc is now a more costly and time-consuming business for home owners because of a new set of stricter rules implemented last October.

The rules – aimed at making the process more regulated and transparent – have bumped up the price of organising a collective sale by about 20 per cent to 30 per cent and drawn out the process by a few months, say property consultants.

Most of the higher cost comes from rising lawyers’ fees, which have doubled or trebled to reflect a similar increase in workload.

According to one industry source, lawyers ‘previously charged maybe $2,000 per household, but now they can charge anything from $3,000 to $6,000′.

Among other things, the new rules now require a lawyer to be present whenever a resident signs a collective sale agreement and to explain the terms of the agreement to each resident during the signing process.

Lawyers may also have to assist the owners in vetting the minutes of sale committee meetings, as well as draft motions for the general meetings, said Ms Tng Peck Chin, the partner in charge of collective sales at law firm WongPartnership.

Another law firm, Rodyk & Davidson, said it has mostly tried to double its fees, although the actual increase varies from estate to estate.

Rodyk partner Lee Liat Yeang said the new rules now double or treble the amount of time lawyers need to put in to get a collective sale going.

‘Also, looking at market conditions, prices are already quite high,’ he said. ‘Lawyers worry that a buyer cannot be found and nothing will materialise from all the effort they had to put in at the initial part.’

In addition to higher lawyers’ fees, owners now need to bear the cost of a valuation report for the estate, previously not a requirement, said Mr Karamjit Singh, the executive director of Credo Real Estate, which specialises in collective sales.

The report can cost between $100 and $300 per owner, depending on the size of the project, he said.

Some marketing agents have also raised their fees. Savills Singapore’s investment director, Mr Steven Ming, said the firm now charges about 15 per cent to 20 per cent more to make up for ‘the extra effort and time’.

Mr Shaun Poh, a senior director of investment advisory services at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, said while there has been no ‘great jump’ in the fees his firm quotes, there is no longer any room for bargaining.

‘Previously, it was very competitive. We used to make our fee more negotiable,’ he said. ‘Now, if we quote a fee, we will stick to it.’

A big reason is that it takes much longer to get a collective sale going under the new rules.

One rule, for instance, provides for a five-day cooling-off period during which a home owner may still change his mind after he signs a collective sale agreement.

‘Last time, consultants would meet an owner, persuade him of the benefits of going en bloc, and he could just sign the agreement,’ said Savills’ Mr Ming.

‘Now, we have to meet them. After they agree to sign, we have to schedule another time for the lawyer to come down to witness the signing.

‘If it all goes well, that’s good, but if they change their mind later, we may have to go through the whole process a few times.’

In the four months since the rules were changed, not a single estate has gone up for sale under the new system.

And while the property boom last year owed much to an unprecedented collective sale frenzy, the almost silent collective sale market now is similarly contributing to the cooling property sector.

Marketing agents say plans for a sale are under way at several developments, although most are still in the preliminary stages.

 

Source: The Straits Times 9 Feb 08

Investors withdraw £1.7b from UK funds

(LONDON) Almost £1.7 billion (S$4.74 billion) was withdrawn from UK property funds in the last three months of 2007, data from the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) showed yesterday.

According to the survey of 64 funds with a combined value of £37 billion, the vast majority of investors continued to flee the sector after Britain’s extended commercial property boom hit the buffers in the summer and £939 million was withdrawn from the funds in the previous quarter.

More than £400 million was also raised by the funds in the fourth quarter.

Some of the respondents to the AREF survey have made it harder or more expensive for investors to exit their funds in recent months in order to shore up liquidity and avoid a firesale of property assets on the open market.

AREF members include authorised property unit trusts (known as APUTs) which are targeted at retail investors such as Legal & General UK Property Trust, M&G Property Portfolio, New Star Property Unit Trust, and the Norwich Property Trust.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

CBRE Q4 earnings slide 2.1% on interest expenses

It also cites softer investment sales environment

(NEW YORK) CB Richard Ellis Group Inc, the world’s largest commercial real-estate broker by market value, said fourth-quarter profit fell 2.1 per cent on higher interest expenses.

Net income declined to US$122.4 million from US$125.1 million a year earlier, the Los Angeles-based company said on Tuesday in a statement distributed by Business Wire. Per share net income rose to 54 cents from 53 cents because of a stock buyback. Revenue increased 30 per cent to US$1.84 billion.

‘Our performance was especially strong over the first nine months of 2007 but moderated later in the year,’ Brett White, chief executive officer of CB Richard Ellis, said in the statement. ‘Fourth-quarter results were impacted by the softer investment sales environment brought about by the continuing difficulties in the credit markets.’ The broker paid US$118 million more last year in interest associated with financing its December 2006 acquisition of rival Trammell Crow Co. CB Richard Ellis earns nearly a third of its revenue from commissions on leasing commercial space and another 23 per cent from property management. US office building sales plunged as much as 50 per cent in the quarter on rising borrowing costs, according to New York- based Real Capital Analytics Inc.

CB Richard Ellis’ net income was projected to be 75 cents a share, according to a Bloomberg survey of two analysts. By that measure, the company missed estimates.

The broker reported net income, excluding items, of 63 cents a share, 10 cents less than the average estimate of eight analysts in a Bloomberg survey. That measure doesn’t conform with generally accepted accounting principles.

In the Americas, including the US, Canada and Latin America, CB Richard Ellis reported a 33 per cent increase in revenue to US$1.05 billion. European revenue rose 21 per cent to US$437.6 million and revenue from the Asia-Pacific region climbed 69 per cent to US$198.4 million, the broker said.

The company reported earnings after the close of US stock markets. CB Richard Ellis shares fell US$1.35, or 7.1 per cent, to US$17.75 at 4 pm in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock is down 54 per cent in the past 12 months.

Jones Lang LaSalle Inc, the second-largest commercial real estate broker, last week report a 31 per cent profit gain on rising fees from investment and property management and on European property sales.

Jones Lang’s stock has fared better in the past year than CB Richard Ellis, which earns 65 per cent of its revenue from the Americas, a region where defaults on sub-prime mortgages have raised borrowing costs and made it harder for real estate investors to find lenders. Jones Lang gets about 31 per cent of its sales from clients in the Americas.

CB Richard Ellis has more than 24,000 employees in 300 offices worldwide. The company markets, sells and leases commercial real estate, manages property, appraises sites and manages real estate investments.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

London luxury-home prices jump again

1.1% rise in average price of units costing £2.5m or more; overall market unchanged

(EDINBURGH) Luxury-home prices in London, the world’s most expensive city for prime real estate, rose at the fastest rate in four months as the overall UK market stagnated, industry reports showed.

The average price of houses and apartments costing at least £2.5 million (S$6.96 million) climbed 1.1 per cent in January from December, Knight Frank LLC said in a statement on Tuesday. There was no change in the average cost of homes across the country, HBOS plc said in a separate report.

‘It is being totally led by the purchase of properties of £10 million or more,’ Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said in an interview. ‘The number of deals done at that level in the past three months was double a year ago.’

The wealthiest property buyers don’t need to borrow money to make purchases, so they’re not dependent on lenders that have made it more difficult and costly to obtain mortgages, Mr Bailey said.

Britons are now buying between 40 and 50 per cent of all London homes priced at more than £10 million, up from 30 per cent a year ago, according to Knight Frank, a real estate broker based in the city.

London’s most expensive new- built home was sold for £50 million last month to Hourieh Peramaa, a 75-year-old real estate entrepreneur from Kazakhstan, Sunday Times reported on Jan 27.

The house on Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, northwest London, has nine main bedrooms, 16 bathrooms and five reception rooms, and was acquired from Turkish businessman Halis Toprak.

Ms Peramaa plans to spend another £30 million extending and redecorating the property, the newspaper said.

Earlier in January, Lev Leviev, an Israeli diamond billionaire, paid £35 million for a house in the same district as Ms Peramaa, according to Daily Telegraph.

Indian steel entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal owns the UK’s most expensive home. He paid £57 million in 2004 for a home close to Kensington Palace in central London. Both Kensington Palace Gardens and Bishops Avenue have been dubbed ‘Billionaires Row’.

January’s increase in luxury-home prices was the biggest since September, when prices advanced 1.2 per cent.

For the year ended Jan 31, the gain was 26 per cent, the smallest since October 2006.

Across Britain, prices in January were 4.5 per cent higher than a year earlier, according to HBOS, the country’s largest mortgage provider. Lenders are selling fewer mortgages as they contend with losses stemming from the collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market.

Properties at the lower end of Knight Frank’s prime index are now moving more in line with the UK market, said Mr Bailey.

Bonus-earners in the UK’s financial industry will invest £2 billion in homes this year, compared with £5.5 billion in 2007, as they look for higher returns, Savills plc said in November. Savills and Knight Frank are the biggest brokers for prime London properties.

This year, top-quality dwellings in the UK capital will appreciate about 3 per cent, Knight Frank said on Tuesday, reiterating an October forecast. The Bank of England’s ability to cut interest rates to ward off an economic slowdown may be hindered by inflationary pressures, said Knight Frank.

‘It is fair to say that the issues of confidence and affordability that have so far dogged the main market may now promote a more cautious purchasing environment in the prime sector too,’ Mr Bailey said.

Britain is home to about 68 billionaires, according to the Sunday Times 2007 Rich List. Many are investors from China, India and Russia who have bought homes in London for its schools, stores, theatres and restaurants.

The most expensive houses can fetch as much as £4,000 a square foot, CB Richard Ellis Hamptons International estimates. That compares with about £2,075 a square foot in New York, the broker said.

Purchasing at such prices so far isn’t being inhibited by the prospect that the UK may impose an annual tax of £30,000 on wealthy individuals who live in the UK and keep their residence elsewhere for tax purposes, said Mr Bailey.

‘There is a lot of interest in deals being done by super-rich foreign buyers,’ he said.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

 

The markets are leading Asia to ruin

Europe’s successful politically-led integration model is showing Asia the way ahead – if its leaders would only be willing

TOKYO

WHILE Europe goes from strength to strength as a united continent with a strong economy and a currency to match, Asia continues to wander directionless waiting fearfully to see whether it will be spared the fate of sliding with the US into recession. The contrast could not be greater and the coming trials of the global economy may vindicate Europe’s politically-led integration model while damning Asia’s market-led version.

Two events in Tokyo over the past week have highlighted the differences of approach. On the European side, a confident Hans Poettering, president of the European Parliament, came to Japan bearing tidings that the new European Constitution (the Treaty of Lisbon signed last December) is expected to be fully ratified and go into force on Jan 1, 2009.

The Constitution will mark the culmination of a truly remarkable chapter in European history that will see 27 countries representing a market of 500 million people emerge. Not just a ‘single market’ with integrated economies and a common currency and monetary system but also with its own effective foreign policy and with credible defence and security systems, as well as its own Parliament and executive branch, of course.

It will be a united Europe stretching from the Mediterranean to the Baltic and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea – a Europe that embraces countries at many different stages of economic and political development, speaking a multitude of different languages and with myriad cultural traditions. Even some of the smallest ‘transition’ economies such as Slovenia have been able to adopt the euro.

A few days before Mr Poettering brought the good news of Europe’s latest advance to the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in Tokyo, I heard Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akira Amari declare proudly that Japan is ready to ‘consider economic partnership agreements with large markets such as the United States and the European Union’ – a rather modest ambition compared to Europe’s achievements If Tokyo does conclude a free trade or economic partnership agreement with the US, there is no doubt that this will draw Japan more closely into America’s sphere of influence, in the economic and perhaps political sense. It remains to be seen then whether any conflict of interest could arise for Tokyo in negotiating an agreement with Brussels. But the real casualty could be any hope of real Asian unity.

Japan’s philosophy, and that of at least some other Asian countries, boils down to this: go where the markets are, and the market knows best.

This applies not only to their pursuit of mega export markets in the US and elsewhere (rather than building an ‘internal’ market as Europe has done so successfully) but also to their own misguided view that the ‘market-led’ model is the best way to achieve greater economic integration among their own economies. This conception is a wrong one, as Mr Poettering implied.

‘If you want to progress with unification, then it must be on the basis of law,’ he said. ‘Without that, you go nowhere. Political decisions should lead to a legal basis.’

In other words, tackle the process of economic and political integration boldly from the top down by political agreements, statutes and institution building, as Europe has done, rather than timidly leaving it all to businessmen, as Asia is doing (with the exception now of Asean).

The usual excuse offered by Asian policymakers for the lamentable lack of progress in knitting together this region into a coherent and strong whole is that it took Europe 50 years to get there – so, have patience. But what is never started is certainly never finished, and there are no signs yet of any comprehensive plan for Asian unity. There are just a lot of competing countries and alliances, dealing with each other and with the outside world.

Another excuse is that Asia is too diverse culturally and ethnically to follow Europe’s example, and that its member countries are at too different stages of economic development to be able to contemplate integration in the foreseeable future.

Europe’s achievement of unity in diversity has given the lie to this claim, and it is always possible for integration to take place at ‘two speeds’ or more, as accession to the euro under the Maastricht Treaty has proved.

If these arguments do not convince Asian leaders that they need to start talking seriously to one another about market and community building, then events that are likely to unfold during the remainder of this year almost certainly will.

The US will slide inexorably into recession, and Japan will be not far behind. China could slow abruptly under the impetus of reduced external demand and internal restraints, and then the rest of Asia will follow. Only then will the need for a true Asian market (and currency) become apparent.

 

Source: Business Times 7 Feb 08

Banks hold key to City office market

Lenders holding off expansion plans as credit mess lingers

(LONDON) The difference between a correction and a major slump in London’s City office market could turn on a few key tenants such as Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan, Knight Frank LLP said on Tuesday.

But record rents were likely to hold up in London’s West End district, the haunt of hedge funds, media companies and tourists, where very low vacancy rates will continue falling, the property services firm said.

Leasing activity across London fell 44 per cent in the last three months of 2007 from the previous quarter as key tenants like banks grew nervous about a global credit crunch and reassessed their City office needs, Knight Frank said at a presentation.

How soon that nervousness evaporates will depend on the state of financial markets, and will determine how much of the UK capital’s growing pipeline of new skyscrapers is absorbed.

‘The issue is all about what has gone from active (demand) to potential (demand), and then what will go from potential back to active, and then hopefully transact,’ John Snow, Knight Frank’s head of central London offices, told Reuters.

Australia’s Macquarie Bank and South African-owned Investec INVP.L are among the firms that have recently put expansion plans on hold, accounting for just over 300,000 square feet of City demand.

More pivotal, though, could be JP Morgan’s 1 million square feet City redevelopment – a deal yet to close – and the 1.5 million square feet of office space that Knight Frank said Deutsche Bank was likely to need in the future.

Deutsche and JP Morgan are among the few major investment banks that have yet to consolidate the bulk of their London operations into a single building, having so far also resisted the lure of a shift further east to Canary Wharf.

A spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank said that its London office requirements were still under review, while a spokesman for JP Morgan declined to comment on its plans for new City headquarters.

Knight Frank said total ‘active demand’ in the City at the end of 2007 was 3.9 million square feet, which included JP Morgan, while ‘potential demand’, which included Deutsche Bank’s projected needs, was another 5.4 million square feet.

Almost 14 million square feet of office space is currently under construction in central London, according to data from Knight Frank. More than 8 million of that is in the City, of which more than three-quarters is classed as ‘speculative’ because it is not prelet.

Mr Snow said Knight Frank had adopted a ‘cautious and realistic approach’ in its projections, which saw ‘net effective rents’ in the City easing by £4.5 (S$12.50) to £59 per square foot per year after an extended period of double-digit rental growth.

City office vacancy rates were likely to rise above 10 per cent this year to 2005 levels from 7.9 per cent at the end of last year as new buildings came onstream and banks shed jobs, Knight Frank said.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research has forecast a loss of about 8,000 City jobs by the end of 2008, while data provider Experian puts the number between 10,000 and 20,000.

Knight Frank said the contrast could not be greater with London’s West End, which benefited from a more eclectic mix of tenants and a tighter control of new developments.

It said the core West End districts of Mayfair and St James would likely cement their position as the world’s most expensive office locations, with prime benchmark rents rising by 8 per cent to £118 per square foot per year by end-2009 as the area’s vacancy rate dipped below 4 per cent.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

Americans in for worst recession in 20 years?

Recent job and other data show an economic downturn may last longer, too

(WASHINGTON) The chances of the United States avoiding a recession appear to be growing dimmer by the day, and any contraction in the economy will likely last longer and be more severe than other downturns in the past 20 years.

Recent reports have shown the US housing market slump and rising defaults in the mortgage market are now taking their toll on job growth and on the manufacturing and services sector.

But heavy consumer debt, a growing federal budget gap and rising prices could make any recession worse than Americans have experienced over the past two decades.

‘If we do go into recession, it’s going to be more severe and long-lasting than the last one,’ said Jeffrey Frankel, a Harvard professor and member of the private-sector panel that dates US recessions.

The nation’s last two recessions, in 1990-1991 and 2001, each lasted for just eight months.

But the two downturns that ended in 1975 and 1982, when economic conditions bore some similarities to today, each lasted 16 months, making them the longest recessions since the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the accepted arbiter of US recessions.

The US economy entered the recessions of 1975 and 1982 saddled with huge government budget deficits from spending on social programmes and the Vietnam war, and was suffering double-digit consumer price inflation.

Mr Frankel said members of NBER’s business cycle-dating panel have been in contact with each through e-mail messages other over the prospect of a recession , but it would likely take months, or perhaps even more than a year, for the panel to determine whether the economy had turned down.

Even though the latest data showed a loss of jobs in January, and the largest monthly decline on record in an index of service sector activity, Mr Frankel thinks a recession is not yet at hand. ‘My description is that we are teetering on the edge,’ he said.

Some economists warn against counting on government spending and lower interest rates, the tools commonly used to battle recession, because the fiscal deficit is already large and consumer price inflation rose to its highest level in 17 years in 2007.

‘So far, the Federal Reserve has been having a lot of luck,’ said Eugenio Aleman, senior economist at Wells Fargo in Minneapolis, but Mr Aleman thinks inflation will tie the Fed’s hands.

‘But the Federal Reserve will be pushed to increase interest rates and then we are going to go into a true recession, a longer recession than what we are expecting today,’ he said.

The main factor keeping overall inflation high has been soaring energy prices, the single-largest driver of inflation over the past year. Crude oil prices reached a record US$100 a barrel last month.

‘I would be happier to see if we got a real break on oil prices and that’s not happening and that’s a little bit disconcerting,’ said Bernard Baumohl, managing director at The Economic Outlook Group in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

While the central bank has said it expects inflation to moderate, there are signs lofty energy prices have begun to filter through to prices more widely.

The government said last week that the Fed’s favourite inflation gauge, the core price index for personal spending excluding food and energy, rose 2.2 per cent last year, above the 2 per cent ceiling seen as the top of the ‘comfort zone’ for the index.

At the same time, the government’s budget is moving further from balance. On Monday, President George W Bush released a budget plan that would see the US deficit widen to US$410 billion for the current fiscal year and US $407 billion for fiscal 2009, not far from the record hit in fiscal 2004.

The last time the economy moved into recession, in 2001, there was a budget surplus, providing an opportunity for extra government spending to boost economic growth.

In addition, consumers were not as heavily in debt and credit was more freely available.

Consumer spending represents for roughly two- thirds of total US economic output and for the 2007 year consumer spending grew at the slowest pace since 2003.

‘My biggest concern right now is the consumer. The consumer is highly levered and when the economy faces a credit crunch on in a highly levered scenario, then you have trouble,’ warned Mr Aleman.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

US productivity growth seen slowing in Q4

Economists expect data to show a rise of just 0.5%

(NEW YORK) US worker efficiency probably grew in the fourth quarter at the slowest pace in more than a year, pushing up labour costs, economists said before a government report yesterday.

Productivity, a measure of how much an employee produces for each hour of work, rose at an annual 0.5 per cent rate following a 6.3 per cent pace from July through September that was the highest in three years, according to the median estimate of 71 economists in a Bloomberg News survey.

Businesses are trimming staff to stem the slowdown in productivity and to control labour expenses to avoid having to raise prices. Federal Reserve policymakers are counting on a slowdown in inflation to be able to keep cutting interest rates to stave off a recession.

‘The pace of efficiency gains likely slowed substantially in the fourth quarter as economic activity stalled,’ Stephen Stanley, chief economist at RBS Greenwich Capital in Greenwich, Connecticut, said before the report.

The Labor Department’s report was due later in the day in Washington. Estimates in the Bloomberg survey ranged from a drop of 0.6 per cent to a gain of 2.7 per cent.

Labour expenses probably rose at a 3.5 per cent rate in the fourth quarter, after dropping at a 2 per cent pace in the previous three months, according to the survey median. Estimates for labour costs ranged from increases of 1 per cent to 5 per cent.

Productivity gains may be harder to come by as the economy weakens because businesses are usually slow to reduce staff, economists said.

Economic growth slowed to an annual rate of 0.6 per cent in October through December, down from a 4.9 per cent pace in the third quarter, according to government figures last week. A report from the Institute for Supply Management on Tuesday showed that service industries unexpectedly contracted in January at the fastest pace since the 2001 recession.

Still, some businesses have already reacted to the demand slowdown in order to contain costs. Companies added 1,000 workers to payrolls in January, down from 54,000 the previous month, and government agencies reduced staff. The economy lost 17,000 jobs overall, the first decline in more than four years. Hourly wages rose 0.2 per cent last month, less than economists had forecast.

Labour expenses account for about two-thirds of the cost of producing a good or service.

Less growth and fewer price pressures will allow Fed policymakers to keep cutting the benchmark rate, economists said.

Central bankers lowered the benchmark rate by half a percentage point on Jan 30, following an emergency threequarter- point reduction a week earlier. Investors are betting on another half-point cut at or before the next meeting in March, according to futures trading.

Some economists are concerned that the productivity surge that began in 1996 is waning. Efficiency increases have slowed every year since reaching a peak of 4.2 per cent in 2002. Productivity rose just 1 per cent in 2006, the smallest increase since 1995.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 7 Feb 08)

Lower interest rates for clients with good credit card record

Citibank is latest to offer tier pricing on rates for unsecured credit products

CITIBANK has joined the likes of Standard Chartered Bank (Stanchart) and American Express in introducing a scheme to reward customers with a good credit record with lower interest rates for unsecured credit products.

Under the scheme, known as tier pricing, Citibank will offer from April 1 annual rates of 18 per cent on rollover credit for its most creditworthy clients – below the industry average of 24 per cent.

A Citibank spokesman declined to give more details, but the scheme will apply to Citibank Gold and Platinum cards initially.

Customers are evaluated on a number of factors, including how long a customer has been a cardmember, usage and payment behaviour, the bank said.

If the customer, however, fails to pay at least the minimum sum required by the due date twice or more within six months, then the interest rate could go as high as 27 per cent a year. An account is considered past due if the minimum payment due is not received in full before the payment due date.

This rate will revert to the usual 24 per cent a year once a customer’s account is no longer twice or more past due in the last six months, it said.

‘We want to be able to reward customers who have shown good payment behaviour over a period of time with a promotional lower interest rate,’ said Mr Radha Suvarna, director of portfolio management and cross-sell, Citibank Singapore.

‘The implementation of tiered pricing based on payment behaviour seeks to encourage all customers to adopt good payment practices and be rewarded for it.’

From the standpoint of a consumer, in particular a creditworthy one, using credit cards that offer different interest rates depending on spending behaviour and risk profile, or risk-based pricing in short, can be beneficial.

For one, a customer could save on interest charges.

Take Citibank’s rates, for example. Your credit statement shows that you owe the bank $5,000 and you decide to pay off $1,000.

The prevailing annual interest rate of 24 per cent will see you being charged 2 per cent a month on the $4,000 outstanding balance. This works out to $80 in interest.

Now, suppose you are a customer who pays your bills diligently. With these changes, you will save money as you could possibly enjoy interest rates of 18 per cent a year, or 1.5 per cent a month.

This would work out to just $60 in interest instead.

In other words, you could save $20 as a result of this tier pricing system that, according to one banker, is already ‘the norm’ in countries like the United States.

Some bankers say the industry will move their unsecured credit products, such as credit cards, towards such a system in the near future, as ‘tiered interest rates’ catch on among customers.

‘It’s the next level of competition,’ said Mr Kartik Taneja, Stanchart’s head of credit cards.

‘We’ve had competition on fees, and that has pretty much wiped out annual fees. Nowadays, you can hardly find any card that charges an annual fee.

‘Typically, if you look at the evolution of the industry, once you stop competing on fees, then you start on the interest side.’

When contacted, the likes of DBS Group Holdings and OCBC Bank said they had no plans currently to introduce risk-based pricing on unsecured credit products.

According to OCBC’s head of group marketing services and unsecured lending, Mr Andy Chan, their customers want a ‘choice of financial tools to help them rationalise and consolidate their borrowings’. He also said the bank recognised that their customers have ‘different credit needs and payment habits’.

 

Source: The Straits Times 7 Feb 08

Slump in services sector signals arrival of US recession

Shockingly weak services data could be final proof of economy shrinking

ANY hope that the United States economy might escape a recession has now all but disappeared, say analysts.

The last straw came when the country’s huge services sector – covering industries such as banking, retail and construction – shrank last month for the first time in five years.

The shockingly weak data released on Tuesday is just about the final proof that the world’s biggest economy started contracting last month, said economists in the US.

Indeed, the surprise slump in the Institute of Supply Management’s (ISM’s) index of non-factory activity led one top analyst to say the looming slowdown may be worse than 2001′s dot.com bust.

For Singapore, economists in the Republic said momentum in Asia will help keep the local economy in positive territory, though some added that a slew of bad US news may prompt the Government to trim its growth forecast for the year.

‘Not only is the economy in a downturn, the abruptness and depth of the decline seen in this report…adds to our concern we are facing a much deeper downturn than we saw in 2001,’ Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg wrote in a note to clients.

Mr Rosenberg cited other signals – the collapse in car sales and unprecedented credit tightening conditions – for his bearish prognosis.

The January ISM reading for services fell from 54.4 to 41.9, under the 50-point threshold, indicating a contraction. This was far below market expectations of 53 and was the lowest reading since October 2001.

The dismal data followed another bleak statistic last Friday when the US government reported the economy lost 17,000 jobs last month, the first dip since 2003.

‘This is an indication for the first time that the bulk of the economy is contracting,’ MFR economist Joshua Shapiro told the New York Times. ‘It is sending people into recession panic mode.’

Wells Fargo economist Scott Anderson said: ‘The number’s so terrible it’s almost beyond belief, especially among the optimists.

‘I think the writing’s on the wall. More and more economists are talking about recession and whether it’ll be a severe or mild one.’

A recession is typically defined as two straight quarters of economic shrinkage in quarter-on-quarter terms.

With all indications that a recession is all but certain, economists said the Federal Reserve may spring another surprise cut on benchmark interest rates, possibly by half a percentage point.

‘This keeps the Fed in aggressive rate-cutting mode with a strong chance of an inter-meeting move possible before the March 18 meeting,’ said Merrill economists.

Disappointing data from Europe on Tuesday also signalled that the US slowdown is spreading out, increasing pressure for the European Central Bank to follow the Fed and cut rates, reported Bloomberg News.

Economists in Singapore said with the US slowdown seemingly more severe, US consumers may start to feel the pinch soon and reduce purchases of goods made in the Republic.

OCBC Bank economist Selena Ling said US consumers are being hit by falling home values, rising difficulty in getting credit, a weaker jobs market and tanking bourses.

But CIMB-GK’s Mr Song Seng Wun said it is still too early to be sure how US consumers will adjust spending patterns. ‘It’s still a close call. I wouldn’t get too concerned.’

Action Economics’ Mr David Cohen said momentum from Asia’s fast-growing economies will provide a buffer.

Also, expected monetary easing from the Fed should provide some support.

‘It’s still likely Singapore will show continued growth. Maybe we’ll be at the lower end of the Government’s range, but still positive growth in 2008,’ he said.

Still, Ms Ling reckons that the fast-deteriorating outlook for the US in the past month may prompt the Government to review its forecast of 4.5 to 6.5 per cent growth this year.

‘They may bring it down to 4 to 6 per cent, or at least give an indication that it’ll be at the bottom of their current range.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 7 Feb 08

Indian property trust poised to launch $1.7b IPO in S’pore

INDIA’S fourth-largest realty company by market value is going ahead with its plan to launch a potentially huge initial public offering (IPO) for its Indiabulls Properties Investment Trust in Singapore.

Reports in India suggest that the IPO by Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd could be worth a whopping US$1.2 billion (S$1.7 billion), which would make it the biggest IPO in the Republic in years.

Thai Beverage, the brewer of Chang beer, which raised $1.37 billion in 2006, was the largest IPO in the Republic since SingTel’s in 1993.

The Indiabulls real estate investment trust (Reit) would own property in the booming commercial centre Mumbai.

The company said on Tuesday that the Singapore Exchange (SGX) has granted its property trust an ‘eligibility to list’ status for the mainboard.

India’s developers are keen to expand via a Singapore listing into the Reits business, which is not yet allowed in their home country.

Indiabulls’ plan comes not long after India’s largest and second-biggest property developers – DLF and Unitech – announced plans for Reits in Singapore. The former is reportedly planning an even bigger US$1.5 billion IPO.

Those numbers would probably make them the largest IPOs since SingTel made its debut back in 1993, raising $4 billion. Still, there were earlier concerns that the Indian listings may be delayed due to the fallout from the United States sub-prime crisis.

A report in India’s The Business Standard newspaper quoted Indiabulls Group president for corporate affairs Ajith Mittal as saying that the IPO would hit the market by the middle of next month, and that market sources expect Indiabulls to make a total offer of nearly US$1.2 billion.

The trust will acquire One Indiabulls Centre in Mumbai and Elphinstone Mills, which are developed and owned by Indiabulls Properties and Indiabulls Real Estate Co, respectively. The two properties are held by Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd through investments in those two latter firms.

Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd will offload a 14 per cent stake in the two projects – out of a 40 per cent stake – via the IPO and mop up nearly US$250 million, said the report. The two properties are valued at over US$2.2 billion.

‘We are planning to lodge the final documents two weeks from now and hit the market in March,’ said Mr Mittal in the report. ‘The total offering will depend on the call taken by other investors and market volatility.’

The report said US hedge fund Farallon Capital and Dev Property Developer are 60 per cent stakeholders in the two projects. The latter is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.

One Indiabulls Centre in the Parel area of Mumbai has 1.5 million sq ft of commercial space and half a million sq ft of retail space. It is part of the emerging new business centre of Central Mumbai.

Elphinstone Mill is being built in Lower Parel and will have 1.5 million sq ft of leasable office space, according to the Indiabulls website.

According to estimates, Indian real estate developers may raise nearly $20 billion from the SGX in the next two years, said the report.

 

Source: The Straits Times 7 Feb 08

What is scary about latest economic data?

The Institute of Supply Management (ISM) issues a monthly index of activity in the non-manufacturing or services sector in the United States by surveying purchasing managers around the country.

The ISM is a US-based industry association.

The ISM survey on the services sector is a closely-followed gauge of a wide swathe of the US economy – from hotels and restaurants to banks and insurance companies, telecommunications firms and retailers.

The index for January, released on Tuesday, showed that a sharp contraction is under way in businesses that represent almost 90 per cent of the US economy.

The drop in the index was sharp and shocking. It plunged to 41.9 last month from 54.4 in December.

‘This is an absolute collapse of the index,’ Mr Nigel Gault, the chief US economist at Global Insight, told the Associated Press.

Economists had been expecting a modest fall to 53. A number above 50 shows an expansion, while a number below 50 indicates a contraction.

The figures show that the US economy’s one silver lining is now in trouble.

The massive services sector had been propping up the US economy when its other legs – the housing and manufacturing sectors – have already weakened.

The ISM figure is also the lowest since October 2001, when the US economy was in a recession, and was the first time in five years that the services sector shrank.

• Particularly worrisome, economists said, is that the elements of the survey that forecast future activity – new orders and jobs – are among those that dropped the most, signalling more trouble ahead.

  New orders fell to 43.5, while employment fell to 43.9.

• The ISM report was also the US economy’s second shock surprise in a week. Last Friday, the US government reported that the country lost 17,000 jobs, the first fall in employment since August 2003.

Source: The Straits Times 6 Feb 08

NEWS ANALYSIS: US slowdown likely to be worse than recent ones

WASHINGTON – THE chances of the United States avoiding a recession appear to be growing dimmer by the day, and any contraction in the economy will likely last longer and be more severe than other downturns in the past 20 years.

Recent reports have shown the US housing market slump and rising defaults in the mortgage market are now taking their toll on job growth and on the manufacturing and services sectors, reported Reuters.

Heavy consumer debt, a growing federal budget gap and rising prices, however, could make any recession worse than Americans have experienced over the past two decades.

‘If we do go into a recession, it’s going to be more severe and long-lasting than the last one,’ said Harvard Professor Jeffrey Frankel, a member of the private sector panel that dates US recessions.

The nation’s last two recessions – in 1990-1991 and 2001 – each lasted for just eight months.

But the two downturns that ended in 1975 and 1982, when economic conditions bore some similarities to today, each lasted 16 months, making them the longest recessions since the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the accepted arbiter of US recessions.

The US economy entered the recessions of 1975 and 1982 saddled with huge government budget deficits from spending on social programmes and the Vietnam war, and was suffering double-digit consumer price inflation.

Prof Frankel said members of NBER’s business-cycle dating panel had been in contact with each other over the prospect of a recession through e-mails, but it would likely take months, or perhaps even more than a year, for the panel to determine whether the economy had turned down.

Even though the latest data showed a loss of jobs last month and the largest monthly decline on record in an index of service-sector activity, Prof Frankel thinks a recession is not yet at hand. ‘My description is that we are teetering on the edge,’ he said.

Some economists warn against counting on government spending and lower interest rates, the tools commonly used to battle recession, because the fiscal deficit is already large and consumer price inflation rose to its highest level in 17 years last year.

‘So far, the Federal Reserve has been having a lot of luck,’ said Mr Eugenio Aleman, a senior economist at Wells Fargo in Minneapolis, but he thinks inflation will tie the Fed’s hands.

‘But the Federal Reserve will be pushed to increase interest rates, and then we are going to go into a true recession, a longer recession than what we are expecting today,’ he said.

The main factor keeping overall inflation high has been soaring energy prices, the largest single driver of inflation over the past year. Crude oil prices reached a record US$100 a barrel last month.

‘I would be happier to see if we got a real break on oil prices. That’s not happening, and that’s a little bit disconcerting,’ said Mr Bernard Baumohl, the managing director at The Economic Outlook Group in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

While the central bank has said it expects inflation to moderate, there are signs lofty energy prices have begun to filter through to prices more widely.

The government said last week that the Fed’s favourite inflation gauge – the core price index for personal spending, excluding food and energy – rose 2.2 per cent last year, above the 2 per cent ceiling seen as the top of the ‘comfort zone’ for the index.

At the same time, the government’s budget is moving further from balance. On Monday, President George W.

Bush released a budget plan that would see the US deficit widen to US$410 billion (S$579.9 billion) for the current fiscal year and US$407 billion for fiscal 2009, not far from the record hit in fiscal 2004.

The last time the US economy moved into a recession, in 2001, there was a budget surplus, providing an opportunity for extra government spending to boost economic growth.

In addition, consumers were not as heavily in debt and credit was more freely available.

Consumer spending represents roughly two-thirds of total US economic output, and consumer spending grew at the slowest pace last year since 2003.

‘My biggest concern right now is the consumer. The consumer is highly levered and when the economy faces a credit crunch on in a highly-levered scenario, then you have trouble,’ warned Wells Fargo’s Mr Aleman.

The job market could take the biggest hit. According to the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, up to 5.8 million additional workers in the US could join the ranks of the unemployed by 2011, if the economy were to fall into a severe recession.

The report, according to the Seattle Times, comes on the heels of the government’s news on Friday that US employers are already cutting back on hiring. Last month marks the first monthly contraction in non-farm payrolls in four years – data that may be the smoking gun showing that the economy has entered a recession.

 

Source: The Straits Times 6 Feb 08

CDL luxury development garners green award

CITY Developments Limited (CDL) was yesterday conferred the Green Mark Platinum award by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for its luxury residential development, Cliveden at Grange.

The award is for exemplary green projects that achieve 30 per cent energy and water savings. Such projects also need to have environmentally sustainable building practices, and innovative green features.

A joint press statement from CDL and BCA said some 3.5 per cent of Cliveden’s construction cost was invested in the design of its green features.

These green features include the installation of ’4 Green Ticks’, the highest rating in energy efficiency for air-conditioners and refrigerators, and the use of renewal energy technology. Solar photovoltaic cells are installed to harness solar energy which then power up the lighting in the guardhouse and clubhouse areas.

Cliveden’s green features are expected to achieve savings in energy costs of over $400,000 a year for the entire development, and cut carbon dioxide emission by 1,100 tonnes a year. As a gauge, it takes about 5,000 trees to absorb this amount of carbon emission.

Cliveden’s award is the latest in a string of accolades CDL has received for its environmentally friendly projects.

Just last year, the property developer clinched two Green Mark Platinum awards – one each for The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove (residential), and City Square Mall (commercial).

Kwek Leng Joo, CDL’s managing director, yesterday said CDL embarked on its green journey over a decade ago believing that it could make a positive contribution towards the environment. He called for the Green Mark to be made mandatory to help propel Singapore to become an eco-hub in the region.

 

Source: Business Times 6 Feb 08

Germans remain bullish about S’pore

Business community upbeat on growth prospects: survey

THE German business community remains bullish about Singapore as a regional business hub, a survey published yesterday shows.

The survey of businesses varying from small operations to multinationals was conducted by Droege & Comp in December, for the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The companies were asked about growth prospects and about what they saw as the challenges ahead.

Findings show that all participating companies here strongly confirm Singapore’s position as the undisputed hub for Asean markets, affirming that Singapore would be the cornerstone of their future Asia strategy. The republic will continue to attract foreign direct investments from German companies.

Respondents attributed their positive attitude to the competitive advantages of the ‘Singapore package’ of excellent infrastructure, socio-political stability, efficient logistics hub and protection for intellectual property rights, which outweighed the rising costs of doing business here.

There were also several less promising findings. One hot topic was that despite Singapore’s push for R&D, most German companies were reluctant to shift R&D capabilities here.

In addition, some medical and healthcare companies were seriously considering neighbouring countries as alternative locations for further investments, particularly Malaysia.

A grouse of all the companies is that despite viewing themselves as attractive employers, they are finding it difficult to recruit and retain skilled personnel.

But even so, a majority of the companies still planned to hire more local people and cut back on their expatriate staff. Calling Singapore the gateway to Asean, Alexander Melchers, vice-president of the chamber, said that Germany is an important trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at more than $20 billion last year. There are 5,600 German people working in Singapore.

Mr Melchers added that Singapore could look forward to better business relations with German companies, especially in the area of environmental engineering and technology such as the clean energy sector where the interests of both countries are ‘perfectly matched’.

 

Source: Business Times 6 Feb 08

Americans preoccupied with fears of recession

Financial institutions in Wall Street remain very apprehensive about the many ‘unknowns’

WASHINGTON

INVESTORS in Wall Street were biting their nails early last week as they waited for US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues to decide whether to slash short-term interest rates for the second time in eight days. But with much of the focus of official Washington centering on heated Democratic and Republicans races for the presidential nomination, not many officials and lawmakers were paying much attention to the deliberations that were taking place among the US central bank’s policymakers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Indeed, when the Fed announced late on Wednesday that it was lowering its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point, the news didn’t receive as much play on the 24/7 television news programmes as did the decision by former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani to withdraw from the Republican presidential race and to endorse his former rival, Senator John McCain who was portrayed now as the Republican ‘front-runner’.

But this perceived divergence between Washington and Wall Street was quite misleading. In fact, the majority of American voters are more and more anxious over the dramatic downturn in the American economy – falling home values, credit crunch, rising unemployment, a weakening dollar, rising costs (inflation?) in the energy and food sectors.

And the presidential election campaign is more and more dominated by economic policy issues. Those who are running for the presidency recognise that the policies embraced by the Fed could have major impact not only on the American economy but also on American politics.

Hence, several political scientists and economists have already developed complex models to forecast the presidential elections based on the changing economic conditions that could figure out, for example, that the chances of a Democratic presidential candidate grow by X per cent if economic growth falls Y per cent.

And observers are starting to criticise Mr Bernanke and the Fed, describing their response to the anxiety in the financial markets as excessive or inadequate or as too little or too late.

There has been a suggestion that the Fed ‘panicked’ when it cut the rate by three quarters of a percentage point two weeks ago. Some pundits are warning that the next White House occupant may not reappoint Mr Bernanke when his first term ends in 2010.

No doubt, politicians in Washington will use Mr Bernanke as a scapegoat if America will find itself in a painful and long economic recession this year, in the same way that his processor, Alan Greenspan, was treated as a superstar when the economy was on a roll. But as economist Alan Reynolds of the Cato Institute pointed out, the US recession that began in July 1990 and ended in March 1991, ‘Fed funds rate did not get as low as it is today until 16 months after the recession had ended (which really was too late)’.

Similarly, in the recession that began in July 2001, the Fed Funds rate remained above 5 per cent until April and did not get down to 3.5 per cent until late August.

From this perspective, Mr Bernanke’s Fed is actually quicker in its response than Mr Greenspan’s Fed. The question is whether the response will also be effective in terms of making the economic downturn shorter and milder.

And in any case, against the backdrop of bad economic news, pointing to a major economic slowdown, including a report showing the economy growing at its slowest rate in five years, soaring foreclosure filings, up 75 per cent last year, and sales of new homes dropping to their lowest level in 12 years in December, Mr Bernanke and his colleagues probably felt enormous pressure to take bold action in the form of an extraordinary amount of easing in a very short period.

The statement issued by the Fed made it clear the policymakers in the central bank were clearly concerned about the economy – pointing to stress in the financial markets, tightening credit conditions for businesses and consumers, a softening labour market, and falling homes prices – and that they were ready to inoculate it as a way of preventing a recession.

The message coming out of the Fed was that downside risks require more interest rate cuts, perhaps in the rest of this year. Most analysts expect the federal funds rate will fall by at least 0.75 per cent more before the year ends.

The Fed’s decision to cut rates raises not only economic issues but creates a political dilemma for Mr Bernanke.

The previous week’s stunning rate cut, which followed the fall in the European markets and the Asian markets, plays into the hands of critics who bash the Fed for paying too much attention to the concerns of investors in Wall Street.

But a refusal to take action, which is bound to create more volatility in the financial markets and will put added pressure on the weak economy and end up igniting other criticism: that Mr Bernanke is too much of a spacey academic who is not ‘street-smart’ in terms of what’s happening in the real financial world.

The Fed insists that its response is based on the recognition that a crisis in the stock market could have a devastating effect on the economy. And it hopes that the combination of the Fed moving so dramatically and the president and the Congress embracing a fiscal stimulus package will give a bit of confidence to investors and consumers that the managers of the economy in Washington are in control of the situation.

With the Fed’s key rate now at 3 per cent, it still has enough ammunition in reserve to use if the economy continues to deteriorate. And they certainly could. The financial institutions in Wall Street remain very apprehensive about the many ‘unknowns’ that could result from the housing crisis and the credit problems.

The Fed and the rest of the officials and lawmakers in Washington, as well as the presidential candidates, seem to be entering into an unknown economic territory that could also determine who will occupy the White House next year.

 

Source: Business Times 6 Feb 08

It’s still the economy – but presidents can’t control it

AS THE US economy weakens and the campaign intensifies, Americans will hear more of liberal writer James Carville’s familiar refrain: It’s the economy, stupid.

Well, it ain’t or, at least, shouldn’t be. I’m not claiming that Mr Carville is wrong about voting. People vote their pocketbooks. In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, the economy overshadows Iraq as the most important issue by a 39 per cent to 19 per cent margin. What I’m saying is that this sort of voting is short-sighted. It rewards or punishes candidates for something beyond their power.

America has a US$14 trillion economy. The idea that presidents can control it lies between an exaggeration and an illusion. Our presidential preferences ought to reflect judgments about candidates’ character, values, competence, and their views on issues where what they think counts: foreign policy; long-term economic and social policy – how they would tax and spend; healthcare; immigration. Forget the business cycle.

True, presidents try to manipulate it. In 1971, President Nixon imposed wage and price controls in part to prevent inflation from jeopardising his re-election. The economy boomed in 1972. But the controls were a time-delayed disaster. When they were removed, inflation exploded to 12 per cent in 1974. In 1980, the Carter administration adopted credit controls to squelch raging inflation. The result was a short recession – a complete surprise – that probably sealed Mr Carter’s defeat in November.

History’s long view teaches the same lesson. No president tried harder, with good reason, to influence the business cycle than Franklin Roosevelt. When he took office in 1933, unemployment was roughly 25 per cent. By executive order and congressional legislation, FDR effectively abandoned the gold standard, adopted deposit insurance, tried to prop up falling farm and factory prices, rescued many defaulting homeowners, regulated the stock market and embarked on massive public works.

With what result? Well, leaving the gold standard aided recovery. But some economic research suggests that other New Deal measures may have frustrated revival. In any case, all of them together didn’t end the Great Depression. World War II did that. In 1939, unemployment was still 17 per cent.

No matter. When the economy is good, presidents claim credit; when it’s not, their opponents blame them.

Political phrase-making compounds the error by personalising the process. Hence, ‘Reaganomics’ and ‘Clintonomics’. Among Republicans and Democrats alike, there is much myth-making.

To his worshippers, Ronald Reagan’s great economic achievements were tax cuts and spending restraint.

Not so. Mr Reagan’s singular feat was supporting Paul Volcker’s Federal Reserve in suppressing doubledigit inflation, which had destabilised the economy (four recessions between 1969 and 1982). From 1980 to 1983, inflation dropped from 13 per cent to 4 per cent. This set the stage for the long expansions of both the 1980s and 1990s. Mr Reagan’s cut in tax rates probably helped slightly, but the overall tax burden wasn’t much reduced.

Bill Clinton had little to do with the causes of the 1990s’ economic expansion: low inflation, low oil prices, a computer and Internet boom, a stockmarket boom. The claim made for Clintonomics is that paring the federal budget deficit in 1993 provided the essential catalyst by reducing interest rates. But long-term rates in 1994 were actually higher than in 1993. Many forces affect rates aside from the budget deficit: inflation and inflationary expectations, saving behaviour, Federal Reserve policy, overall credit demand. Mr Clinton’s contribution was self-restraint. Unlike Mr Nixon and Mr Carter, he didn’t meddle with the Fed. He was a ‘conservative’ in a pragmatic way.

Of course, presidents do affect the economy. But their greatest influence often occurs after they’ve left office. FDR’s enduring legacy was Social Security; Mr Reagan’s was low inflation. Some policies that are initially popular turn out to be calamitous. Under John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, the government followed highly expansionary policies to reduce unemployment. Initially popular, they ultimately spawned high inflation.

Sensible voters should look beyond the cheery or dreary economy of the moment. They should recognise that, if presidents could control the business cycle, recessions would never occur, there would always be ‘full employment’ and inflation would remain forever tame. Instead of judging prospective presidents on what they can’t do, voters ought to concentrate on what they can do. There are plenty of real differences among the remaining candidates. But Mr Carville is probably right. For many, it will be the economy; and it will be stupid.

 

Source: The Washington Post Writers Group (Business Times 6 Feb 08)

US banks raise standards on commercial property loans: Fed

(NEW YORK) The Federal Reserve said it became tougher for US companies and consumers to get loans in the past three months, particularly to buy real estate.

Most lenders anticipate more delinquencies and losses this year, assuming ‘economic activity progresses in line with consensus forecasts’, according to the central bank’s quarterly survey of senior loan officers released today in Washington.

The survey, conducted last month through Jan 17, was available to Fed policy makers last week and may help explain the central bank’s fastest easing of monetary policy since 1990. Chairman Ben S Bernanke and his colleagues lowered their benchmark rate by 1.25 percentage points last month, aiming to revive lending and spending, averting a recession.

About 80 per cent of banks raised standards on commercial property loans, a record, while a majority tightened terms on prime home mortgages.

Mr Bernanke warned in a Jan 10 speech that there was ‘considerable evidence that banks have become more restrictive in their lending to firms and households’.

‘Financial markets remain under considerable stress, and credit has tightened further for some businesses and households,’ the Federal Open Market Committee said in its Jan 30 statement.

The survey covered 56 domestic banks and 23 foreign institutions. The 56 banks together have $5.95 trillion in assets, representing about 54 per cent of the country’s US$11.1 trillion total for all domestically chartered, federally insured commercial banks.

Investors anticipate the Fed will lower its benchmark rate by a further half-point by the March 18 meeting, according to futures contracts quoted on the Chicago Board of Trade. The central bank has lowered the federal funds rate to 3 per cent from 5.25 per cent since September.

About one-third of US banks said they increased their standards on commercial and industrial loans, while two-fifths said they widened spreads of interest rates over their cost of funds. Both responses represented an increase from the October.

In commercial real estate, the proportion of banks tightening terms was the highest since the Fed began seeking information on the subject in 1990. About 45 per cent, on net, of both US and foreign institutions said demand for such loans weakened in the past three months.

Many banks became stricter because of a ‘less favourable economic outlook’, and a ‘large fraction’ of US banks reported a ‘reduced tolerance for risk’, the Fed said. Examples of credit standards in commercial real estate include the maximum loan size and maturity and loan-to-value ratios, the Fed said. ‘The tightening there looks pretty significant,’ said Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co in New York.

‘That sector is going to be challenged quite a bit this year.’

For home loans, about 55 per cent of US banks toughened terms for prime mortgages, up from 40 per cent in October, while 85 per cent of respondents made it tougher to get non-traditional loans, up from 60 per cent, the survey said. A majority of US respondents said demand worsened for prime, non-traditional and sub-prime mortgages.

 

Source: Bloomberg (Business Times 6 Feb 08)

US services sector suffers record slide in Jan

ISM index slid to 41.9 in Jan from 54.4 in Dec, stoking recession fears

(NEW YORK) The US services sector retrenched sharply in January to levels not seen since the 2001 recession, renewing fears about an economic slump, according to a survey released on yesterday.

The Institute for Supply Management’s index of non-manufacturing plummeted to 41.9 from 54.4 in December, its largest monthly decline on record and a far greater drop than Wall Street expected.

US stocks tumbled yesterday, led by a sell-off among shares of financial companies, on the ISM report. The S&P 500 index at one point fell more than 2 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down more than 200 points in early trade. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 22.15 points, or 1.6 per cent, at 1,358.67. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 33.63 points, or 1.41 per cent, at 2,349.22.

The ISM number ‘does bring in a heightened concern about the economy, and it adds further pressures to stock prices’, said Steve Goldman, market strategist at Weeden & Co.

A Reuters poll of economists had produced a median expectation of a slip to 53.0. ‘The recession has indeed arrived,’ said Jane Caron, chief economic strategist at Dwight Asset Management in Burlington, Vermont.

A reading below 50 indicates contraction, and bond prices jumped as the figures reinforced investors’ conviction that the US economy is already in recession.

The employment index fell to 43.9 from 51.8, corroborating last week’s dire US payrolls report, which showed the first net monthly contraction in the labour market in more than four years.

Weakness was evident across the board. A measure of new orders fell to 43.5 from 53.9. ‘It’s another recession marker on the radar screen,’ said Cary Leahy, economist at Decision Economics in New York.

Analysts said the gloom surrounding the services report justified the Federal Reserve’s recent steep interest rate cuts. The Fed slashed rates by 1.25 percentage points in the past two weeks, a rare strong dose of stimulus over such a short period.

A downturn that began in the US housing sector about two years ago has spread to banks, which made many loans to sketchy borrowers and are now grappling with rising mortgage defaults.

 

Source: Reuters (Business Times 6 Feb 08)

More colonial bungalows up for rent

Demand for these state-owned buildings is strong due to relatively low rentals

ANYONE with a hankering for a home with lots of nature and space, and does not mind living some distance from town might want to take note.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) will be leasing out four of these colonial bungalows this month, along with two semi-detached houses.

The properties are in Maida Vale and Brompton Road in Seletar, Gibraltar Crescent in Sembawang and Lornie Road near Bukit Timah.

This comes on the heels of a sizzling response to five similar properties the SLA put on the bidding block last month. They drew 75 bids in all and were rented out for about double the guide rents.

All these form part of the SLA’s stock of 2,360 black-and-white homes – properties ranging from apartments to bungalows dating back to the 1930s and are inherited from British colonial days.

Demand for these state-owned buildings has traditionally been very strong, partly because of relatively low asking rentals.

Monthly guide rents for the latest batch of homes, for example, start at $1,800 for a 1,367 sq ft semidetached house in Brompton Road. They go up to $6,600 for a Gibraltar Crescent bungalow with 7,212 sq ft of built-up area and 16,145 sq ft of land.

Mr Ku Swee Yong, director of business development and marketing at Savills Singapore, thinks the homes can fetch even more.

‘These guide rents are extremely attractive. Normally, you would be able to get at least double the price, if the properties are in good condition,’ he said.

Last month, the SLA rented out three apartments in Clemenceau Avenue North at between $1,856 and $2,500 – double their guide rents of $960 to $1,110. Two more bungalows in Alexandra Road and Dover were let for $20,258 and $15,100, also about twice the guidance.

The guide rents are decided by the SLA’s valuers, who take into account the property’s last rental, location, condition and whether it comes with a swimming pool, air conditioning and furnishings.

All the properties are in move-in condition and are regularly maintained by SLA-appointed managing agents.

The homes, which come either unfurnished or partially furnished, are located in areas such as Sembawang, Alexandra Park, Adams Park, Telok Blangah, Bukit Timah and Woodleigh Park.

The SLA will put another eight properties up for rent next month, including in Bukit Timah and Newton.

Another 11 are in the pipeline between April and June.

Monthly rents range from $400 for a small apartment to more than $20,000 for a black-and-white bungalow.

About 91 per cent of the homes are currently occupied, a rise of about 6 per cent over a few months ago.

Most are let for two years, although tenants are normally allowed to renew their leases when they lapse.

Deirdre Dempster, for instance, is planning to extend her lease at a black-and-white bungalow at Goodwood Hill when it runs out in August. The 40-year-old, who is in marketing, has been living there for four years with her banker husband and two kids.

‘I love it. I wouldn’t trade this house for anything,’ she said. ‘What attracted me was the area and the grounds, and there’s a lot of character and history attached to these properties. I hope they don’t tear them down.’

Interested tenants can bid for this month’s properties via the SLA’s new open bidding system. An open house will be held for the homes, and bids will be accepted for a week after the date of the viewing.

 

Source: The Straits Times 6 Feb 08

TAKING STOCK: Fresh US recession worries, Dow’s fall drag down STI

PROFIT-TAKING on renewed United States recession fears and Wall Street’s overnight dip delivered a one-two punch to abruptly halt the Singapore bourse’s two-day rally yesterday.

A sharp selldown came in the last 30 minutes, as the Straits Times Index (STI) closed 38.66 points lower at 3,038.42, after rising a combined 95 points in the previous two sessions.

A total of 1.55 billion shares worth $1.46 billion changed hands yesterday.

A dealer said: ‘Profit-taking was inevitable, after Monday’s strong pre-Chinese New Year surge and the Dow’s 108-point plunge overnight.’

The chief culprit for the STI’s fall was the financial sector.

Banking counters took a hit after US brokerages downgraded American banks and credit card firms, on signs that consumers are falling behind on debt payments.

United Overseas Bank (UOB) was among the day’s top losers, dropping 38 cents to $18.12. DBS Group Holdings fared no better, slipping by the same amount to $17.60, while OCBC Bank dipped eight cents to $7.55.

DBS Vickers has cut its target price for UOB from $27.50 to $20.80 and that for OCBC from $10.40 to $9.

It noted: ‘While sentiment in Singapore equities remain weak, we believe that earnings momentum for Singapore banks should remain positive, given the strong loans growth and asset quality.’

SingTel came under the spotlight after it announced better-than-expected results for its third quarter. It gained four cents to $3.90 and was the most heavily traded counter by value.

Citigroup said SingTel’s results were ‘better than expected’, while Morgan Stanley kept its ‘overweight’ call, citing healthy operating trends.

AmFraser Securities senior vice-president of research Najeeb Jarhom said: ‘It looks like SingTel may again come to the rescue of the broad market in the event of another downturn after the long holidays.’

There was also cheer for Chinese steelmaker Delong Holdings. It surged a whopping 47 cents, or 30.9 per cent, to $1.99, prompting a query from the Singapore Exchange.

ASL Marine had a bright outing as well, up five cents to $1.30, after the local shipbuilder reported that first half net income rose 67 per cent to $28 million.

The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index slid 0.7 per cent to 784.25 but the Small Cap Index gained 0.1 per cent to 681.31.

 

Source: The Straits Times 6 Feb 08

US services sector contracts, stocks fall

NEW YORK – UNITED States stocks tumbled yesterday, led by a sell-off among shares of financial companies, as a report showing a contraction in the vast services sector last month heightened recession fears.

Data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) underscored concerns that the fallout from the housing slump was spreading to the broader economy.

In early trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 237.93points, or 1.88 per cent, at 12,397.23.

The consensus among ISM’s survey respondents was that the services sector, which included industries such as restaurants, banking, construction, retailing and travel, had ‘come to the end of a long-term period of growth’, Mr Anthony Nieves, chairman of the ISM’s business survey committee, said in a statement.

ISM reported that its index of service sector business activity declined to 44.6 last month from a revised reading of 54.4 in December.

It was the first time the services sector reading contracted since March 2003. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Price increases have slowed while costs are up, said Mr Nieves, who is also senior vice- president for supply management at Hilton Hotels.

Survey respondents cited recession fears taking hold and high energy prices dragging down profitability.

ISM said only three service industries reported growth, while 14 showed a contraction.

 

Source: REUTERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS (The Straits Times 6 Feb 08)

Markets will recover after 3-6 mths of mild recession: S&P analyst

He warns of one more major market collapse between now and rosier H2

THE sub-prime crisis will cause a mild US recession, but financial markets will recover in three to six months after most of the bad news is flushed out or priced in, says a leading US analyst.

Stephen Biggar, New York-based director for US equity research at S&P Equity Research, was one of the first to predict the sub-prime crisis and subsequent market meltdown that began in late July last year.

He sees many similarities between the current sub-prime fallout and the 1990-91 Savings and Loan (S&L) crisis.

‘The ingredients are the same: banks in trouble, credit crunch, junk bonds, worthless debt,’ he said. ‘But as is the case now, the Federal Reserve stepped in aggressively. The US went into a mild recession, but it was a three- to five-month event for the market.’

Mr Biggar reckons this US recession started in December 2007, but noted that the Fed has moved fast, cutting its key interest rate three times in as many months – the most aggressive cuts in 25 years.

The latest 50 basis points cut last week brought the key discount rate down to 3 per cent.

‘The Fed has been on the curve, if not ahead of it,’ Mr Biggar said. ‘Meanwhile, the impact of Washington’s US $145 billion fiscal stimulus package should kick in by May. And we should also see US corporate earnings improving during the second half, especially for exports.’

He says with half of the total earnings of S&P 500 companies coming from offshore, the weak US dollar environment will be a boost for them.

But while painting a sanguine picture for the second half of this year, Mr Biggar warns of one more major market collapse between now and then.

‘We haven’t seen a capitulation selling yet which will totally flush out the system and set it on course for the next recovery,’ he said. ‘But this will happen in the next couple of months as banks will demonstrate their ultimate exposure (to the sub-prime collateralised debt obligations).’

This will pull the S&P500 down to retest 1,310, he said. If this does not hold, the index will hit a trough at 1,170 points. And that will be the buy signal for value investors.

‘The shock value of bailouts will rattle many, but markets have a way of getting immune to this kind of news,’ he said. ‘Ultimately, the market will price in the risks.’

Mr Biggar is not a proponent of the theory that Asian markets and economies have decoupled from the US.

‘We have already seen how the US market’s pull-back has caused the collapse across this region,’ he said. ‘And the sub-prime losses are not just losses in the US. The exposure is global.’

Mr Biggar told BT in June last year that several US lenders were on the verge of declaring huge sub-prime losses, and that these would trigger a meltdown on Wall Street and elsewhere.

‘All it would take is a failure of one large US bank,’ Mr Biggar said then. ‘In the US sub-prime segment, which accounts for 20 per cent of total lending, delinquencies and foreclosures have been building up. But the troubles have been largely hidden away.’

Those words proved prescient. Just a month later, Countrywide Financial Corp – America’s largest mortgage lender – reported a sharp rise in delinquencies. This was followed by American Home Mortgage’s loan delinquencies, after which two of Bear Stearns’ hedge funds hit the sub-prime skids.

Fast-forward, and Mr Biggar has this prediction: ‘If the parallels to the 1990-91 S&L crisis and what we have now are anything to go by, we should pull out of this in about three to four months.’

Many here would recall that after the recovery from the 1991 crisis, Asian markets headed into their biggest ‘superbull’ run ever in 1993.

And many must also be praying Mr Biggar is spot on – again.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Prime properties in for 5% fall in ’08: UBS

Bank expects modest 0-5% growth in mass and mid-tier segments

ANALYSTS from Swiss bank UBS believe Singapore’s property market will ‘remain intact’, but they are nonetheless projecting a drop of 5 per cent in prime property prices for the year.

In the more affordable mass and mid-tier segments, where prices increased at a slower pace, UBS expects a modest growth of between 0-5 per cent in prices this year.

In its report on the Singapore property market, UBS says that in light of the uncertainty over the global economic outlook, buyers are likely to defer purchases of new property for at least six months. UBS said that demand ‘is highly dependent on the market’s outlook for the next three or four years, when the projects are completed’.

It added that with supply of new homes on the rise, there could be pressure on developers to reduce launch prices to ‘stimulate demand’ – and some developers may start cutting prices as early as the second quarter of this year.

While the larger developers are expected to have more holding power, smaller ones could feel the strain of holding costs sooner. UBS estimates that of the units to be launched between this year and 2010, around 9 per cent are held by small, unlisted developers. Still, it said that there is little evidence to suggest that the market will be affected if small developers ‘capitulate and cut prices aggressively when holding costs build up’.

In its report on the current property market conditions, UBS made comparisons with the previous property slump of 1998. ‘Markets appear to be pricing a 70 per cent fall in Singapore residential prices, similar to 1998,’ it noted.

But UBS said: ‘We think the residential market in 2008 will not replicate the 1998 scenario where launch prices fell by 50 per cent in a year, and stock prices fell by 75 per cent.’

It added that expected GDP growth of 3.5 per cent should keep population inflow positive, which combined with negative real interest rates and low unemployment should underpin resale prices.

‘Even if job growth were to halve in 2008 to 90,000-100,000, this could still mean housing demand for at least around 15,000-18,000 units, assuming half the newly- weds (23,000 per annum) want to move out, and around 6,000 new households – of new permanent residents and expatriates – relocate to Singapore,’ UBS added. It pointed out that the figure is much higher than the expected number of home completions – 8,700 in 2008 and 16,000 in 2009.

As such UBS believes that current share prices for listed property developers have been ‘over-corrected’.

‘Allgreen’s price ($1.17 per share currently) attributes no value to its residential (portfolio), while City Development’s price ($12 per share currently) implies a 70 per cent writedown in unsold land,’ said UBS.

UBS said that it has adjusted the revalued net asset value and earnings per share for Allgreen, City Developments, CapitaLand and Keppel Land, and given current price levels ‘we have retained our Buy ratings on all these developers’.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Budget may soothe fears over costs creeping up

Businesses worry over transport bills, economists expect some goodies

(SINGAPORE) Amid concerns that the costs of living and doing business could go up, economists expect the upcoming Budget to provide some form of relief.

These could come in the shape of more cash handouts, particularly targeted at the low to middle-income groups, as well as a cut in top personal income taxes from the current 20 per cent.

‘I think something similar to last year’s GST offset package will be introduced. My guess is that it will be quite targeted to the lower-income group,’ Citi economist Kit Wei Zheng said.

‘There is a chance that it will come more in the form of cash,’ he added. The $4 billion Goods and Services Tax (GST) offset package over a five-year period that was announced last year comprised of $1.8 billion in GST credits while the balance was in the form of rebates.

Standard Chartered economist Alvin Liew noted that the strong economic performance last year has placed the government in a good position to offer more cash handouts.

‘But we are not looking at any increase in CPF contribution on the employer side or the employee side because that will increase business cost,’ he said.

Economists predicted a potential cut in top personal income tax from 20 per cent, after the government shaved two percentage points off the corporate tax rate to 18 per cent last year in what was seen as a pro-business Budget.

Now there are fears that costs are creeping up. Last year, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.1 per cent year on year, a significant jump from the one per cent seen in 2006, partly due to the two percentage-point hike in GST in July last year. The CPI jumped 4.4 per cent in December from a year ago to hit a 25-year high fuelled by higher transportation, food and healthcare costs. ‘Perhaps, of greater concern is the risk that if inflation stays persistently high, inflation expectations could become more entrenched, pushing up wages and leading to a second-round impact on the CPI numbers,’ Mr Kit said.

Sharing this sentiment was CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun. ‘Barring a sharp downturn in the global economy, domestic price pressures are likely to persist, due to short-term supply constraints,’ he said.

The recently announced changes in ERP charges and the uncertainty of whether means testing in public hospitals would lead to higher insurance premiums have also raised concerns over higher living and business costs.

To curb congestion on the roads, the government is raising the ERP base charge from the current $1 to $2 and the incremental charges from $0.50 to $1 from July. The increase in ERP revenue is more than offset by a 15 per cent cut in road tax and a reduction of additional registration fee (ARF) for vehicles from 110 per cent to 100 per cent of the Open Market Value (OMV).

These ERP changes take effect from July onward, when the effect of a two percentage-point GST hike last July would have waned.

For now, economists and businessmen alike are circumspect about how the impact of higher ERP charges and the offsetting measures of lower road tax and ARF on inflation will eventually play out.

‘While the usage costs may go up, I believe it should be offset by lower car ownership costs,’ said Wee Piew, CEO of steel stockist HG metal. ‘As I understand this is not a revenue-generating measure by the government but a car population containment measure, so I believe incremental costs for businesses should be negligible.’

Stanchart’s Mr Liew believe that the costs of being stuck in traffic jams and losing man hours could be just as detrimental to businesses as an increase in transport costs, if not more.

But Mr Kit of Citi wondered what it would take for motorists to change their daily routine.

‘The ERP by itself might not have a huge impact, but it’s the cumulative effect – all these price increases coming together,’ Mr Kit said, citing higher food prices and electricity tariffs, an upward revision of HDB annual values

and higher taxi flag-down rate.

Some businesses will likely feel the heat of higher ERP costs on their operations, whether they are couriers, manufacturers that deliver goods on a regular basis or companies whose employees take taxis to make sales trips and workers who may soon demand higher transport allowances or wages.

Kim Ann Engineering believes that the group’s delivery and logistic cost will increase eventually when more gantries are added as it delivers goods to many light industry estates.

‘We have eight delivery trucks/vehicles to various directions. Other than Express Highways, we will soon have to pass Alexandra and Toa Payoh gantries when they’re in operation,’ Lau Tai San, chairman and managing director of the group, said.

Predeep Menon, executive director of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said most of the association members are bracing themselves for a significantly higher cost structure.

‘What’s happening now is that most businesses are being hit by the costs first. Then, they will need breathing time to see how to adjust to it and how best to avoid certain expenses,’ Mr Menon said.

Many economists expect CPI for the first half of this year to hover around 5 per cent year on year.

Inflationary pressures would then taper off in the third quarter where the GST effect would have dissipated and further moderation in the fourth quarter due to a high base of comparison in a year-ago period, they said.

Stanchart and DBS are expecting the full-year CPI to come in at 4 per cent year on year, CIMB-GK is predicting 4-4.5 per cent, while Citi raised its inflation forecast for 2008 to 5 per cent from 3.8 per cent previously.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

S’pore population hits 4.6 million

Number of foreigners increasing faster than citizens, PRs

SINGAPORE’S economic planners think the country can hold 6.5 million people, a size they feel will be ideal to keep the economy humming.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, however, feels the optimum population size for tiny Singapore might be smaller, between 5 and 5.5 million.

The latest numbers released yesterday by the Singapore Department of Statistics – after some refinements that exclude persons who were away for at least 12 months continuously, in line with United Nations guidelines – show that Singapore is just less than one million people away from hitting that figure recently suggested by Mr Lee.

Singapore’s total population has swelled to 4.6 million – and that was seven months ago.

The drive to attract foreign talent to make up the local shortage is apparently bearing fruit. The number of foreigners who work and live here has crossed the one-million mark.

In the past five years, the figure grew three times as fast as the number of Singaporeans and permanent residents.

The result: foreigners made up 22 per cent of Singapore’s total population as at June 2007, up from 18 per cent in 2003. From 2006 to 2007, the number of foreigners jumped nearly 15 per cent to 1,005,500.

Locals and permanent residents rose by less than 2 per cent to 3,583,100.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

SMEs upbeat about 2008 growth

84% see same or faster GDP expansion: HSBC poll

SMALL businesses across the Asia-Pacific region are optimistic about their respective country’s economic prospects, with more than half of Singapore firms expecting the country’s economy to grow at the same pace as it did in 2007. This is according to an HSBC survey conducted in the last quarter of 2007, in which the bank polled 2,700 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in nine Asia-Pacific territories, including China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The survey found that 84 per cent of small businesses in Singapore expect the same or faster economic growth this year compared to 2007.

‘Singapore’s economy saw continued strong GDP growth in 2007, and the fact that most of the small businesses surveyed expect the same or higher level of growth in 2008 bodes well for the local economy as a whole, given the collective economic might the 130,000 SMEs in Singapore can assert,’ said Tan Siew Meng, head of commercial banking at HSBC Singapore.

Acting on their positive economic outlook, 90 per cent of small businesses here plan to maintain or increase their capital expenditure, with over a third of them planning to increase investment by a little or significantly.

The survey conducted by research company TNS covered 300 small businesses in each territory. The Singapore firms polled had annual sales of less than US$6 million.

Firms were asked about their local economic outlook for the next six months, their hiring and investment plans, and their view of trading prospects with China, Asia and the rest of the world.

Some 37 per cent of businesses in the region expect faster economic growth (37 per cent), compared to the 17 per cent that expect a slowdown.

Across the region, the emerging markets of Vietnam and India were the most optimistic. In Vietnam, 90 per cent of firms thought local economic growth would accelerate this year and three-quarters of them plan to increase investment. None of the respondents in both those countries had plans to reduce staff numbers.

More than half the companies surveyed in Singapore also said that they currently engage in cross-border trade.

Most said they expect to see an increase in trade with the rest of the world, especially in China. Interestingly, small businesses with cross-border trade expect to increase their capital expenditure more than those who do not trade with other countries.

HSBC’s Ms Tan said the survey results are a testament to the resilience of the small business sector, which is learning to adapt quickly to changing global economic conditions.

‘In the face of growing economic uncertainty in the United States, emerging markets still see great opportunity for growth as they seek advantage of the rising trade flows in the Asian region,’ she said.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Growth in S-E Asia property market sustainable: DTZ

THE property markets of South-east Asia are expected to sustain the buoyant growth seen in 2007, says DTZ Debenham Tie Leung.

DTZ said that residential markets in the region are expected to continue to grow, ‘driven by steady economic expansion, increasing affluence and increasingly attractive projects as developers strive to refine concepts’.

In Vietnam, DTZ noted that demand for residential properties, which was already growing fast, was bolstered by the recent relaxation in rules for housing ownership, allowing foreign land ownership terms to increase from 50 to 70 years. DTZ said this also encouraged foreign developers to build residential properties there.

In Malaysia, DTZ said take-up was encouraging for high-end condominiums in Kuala Lumpur, with a complete sell-out for several luxury projects. This was supported by the relaxation of rules for foreigners to buy residential properties and the waiver of real property gains tax last April. While monthly average gross rents remained unchanged at RM4 (S$1.25) per square foot, average capital values increased 3 per cent year-on-year to an average RM500 (US$152) psf.

The residential market in Thailand is also expected to recover, as the political situation improves and developers are encouraged to launch projects which have been withheld.

In the office sector, DTZ says demand for office space in Vietnam is expected to continue to be underpinned by limited potential supply. It said that in Vietnam, most potential supply comprises nonprime office buildings, ‘which will lead to greater competition for prime office space’. Occupancy remains high, at above 95 per cent, while Grade A rents average US$3.70 psf per month in Hanoi and US$4.37 psf per month in Ho Chi Minh City.

The office market in Kuala Lumpur was also active, with increasing demand by the services, oil and gas, information technology and financial sectors. Together with limited new supply, prime office rents rose 7.8 per cent year-on-year to RM62.65 (US$18.16) psm.

Jakarta also saw office occupancy rates of over 90 per cent. Rents did, however, remain at about US$0.76 psf per month amid fluctuations in exchange rates.

The Bangkok office market was the only one that was subdued, with a negative net absorption for H1 2007. DTZ said this was due to a less favourable operating environment which affected investors’ confidence.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Aussie property still looking up?

THE US sub-prime mortgage problem may have put a dampener on property stocks worldwide, including Singapore. But there appears to be at least one bright spot on the planet, if ANZ Bank is to be believed.

Said the bank in a recent report on its outlook for the Australian property market: ‘Property returns have accelerated, underpinned by buoyant economic growth and tightening market fundamentals. Despite a meltdown in US sub-prime mortgages and a crisis in global credit markets, the economic outlook remains supportive.’

While it warns that rising interest rates and a ‘marked jump in risk aversion’ have raised the risks facing the property sector, it still thinks that by 2010 there will be a serious housing shortage.

‘A dramatic tightening of the housing market will force already soaring house prices and rents sharply higher. By 2010, we project a record housing shortage of nearly 200,000 homes which risks becoming an intractable imbalance as renters and first-home buyers become collateral damage in the Reserve Bank’s ongoing war on inflation,’ it said.

It also noted that in risk-adjusted terms, residential property has delivered ‘vastly superior’ returns in comparison to all other broad asset classes.

These will be sweet words to Singapore-linked Australian developers like AV Jennings, which is 42 per cent owned by SC Global, and Australand Property Group, the Australian property arm of local property giant CapitaLand. Others who will be heartened by such talk include smaller players like shipping tycoon CK Ow’s Stamford Land and Chua Thian Poh’s Ho Bee Investments, which is now trying to make inroads Down Under.

The ANZ report also pointed out that total returns over the year to last September were 20 per cent in offices, 15.5 per cent in retail, 13 per cent in industrial and 14.3 per cent in residential property.

‘Yields have continued to firm and tightening availability is forcing both rents and capital values higher.

Solid investment returns have underpinned a rebound in construction activity which has jumped to record levels, bolstered by a remarkable 24 per cent increase in engineering construction, a 7.8 per cent lift in non-residential building and a surprise 4.8 per cent rise in residential activity,’ said its analyst Paul Braddick.

He thinks that the property sector will be underpinned by Australia’s buoyant economy, which in turn now depends more on Asia’s growth than America’s. ‘Asian growth has effectively decoupled from the US and the outlook for China in particular remains very strong,’ Mr Braddick says.

While some households are being adversely impacted by rising interest rates, Mr Braddick claims that rising debt servicing costs have been more than offset by solid income gains.

He said houses were no different from bananas in that when there is a shortage, prices are likely to rise.

‘However, unlike bananas, the necessary rebound in housing supply will be far more difficult to achieve and house prices are therefore unlikely to fall.’

According to ANZ, the tightness is being felt in all sectors of the property market and across the country.

Despite some recent developments, including a contract to build 600 homes in Auckland worth some NZ $300 million (S$337 million), AV Jennings shares have been near a 52-week low at around A$0.90 apiece. Australand’s shares have been thinly traded and languish at around A$2.30. Perhaps the ANZ report should bring some cheer to their shareholders.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Asian CEOs bullish on 2008 prospects: PwC

ASIAN CEOs are more confident about business prospects in the year ahead, despite a fall in confidence globally, a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey has found.

‘Many companies in Asia continue to be the engine of economic growth that has been driving prosperity for more than a decade,’ PwC said.

As a result, 56 per cent of Asian CEOs are confident going forward, up from 49 per cent last year, according to the firm’s 11th Annual Global CEO Survey.

In contrast, confidence among North American CEOs has sunk to 35 per cent, from 53 per cent last year.

Globally, half of CEOs who responded to the survey said they were ‘very confident’ about revenue growth this year, compared with 52 per cent last year.

There is a ‘wide disparity in confidence levels between CEOs in mature and emerging economies’, said PwC.

Sentiment is strongest in China and India, where 73 per cent and 90 per cent of CEOs respectively expressed confidence.

Latin American and Central and Eastern European respondents were also relatively confident, with 55 per cent strongly believing that their company’s revenue would grow.

‘The world’s economic axis is shifting as Asia consolidates its position and we have good ground for feeling optimistic about the immediate future’, said Gautam Banerjee, executive chairman of PwC Singapore. ‘Our financial systems have held up well during the global credit crisis. We expect the economic outlook to be generally favourable.’

Asian CEOs are also more interested in executing cross-border mergers or acquisitions in the next 12 months, though most would prefer to make their deals in the Asia-Pacific region itself.

Half of all respondents that head big companies with annual revenue of more than $10 billion said that they worry about handling cultural conflicts and capturing deal value.

Surprisingly, CEOs of large companies worry more about such matters than chiefs of smaller firms, despite typically having more experience in cross-border integrations, Mr Banerjee said.

Many Asian and Middle Eastern investors ‘have recognised the need to tread carefully’, he said. They tend to prefer low-profile minority stakes to minimise opposition, and are trying to improve transparency and subject themselves to scrutiny.

Worldwide, Asian CEOs are the most worried about the availability of key skills, with almost 80 per cent of respondents from the region citing this concern. Many also feel they need to change the way their company develops talent.

But CEO commitment to developing people is still highest in North America, where 85 per cent of chiefs said that their time is best spent ‘dealing with the people agenda’.

PwC’s survey involved 1,150 interviews with CEOs in 50 countries in the last quarter of 2007.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

Asia more stable now than in 1997

ASIAN banks and markets here are a lot more stable and better placed for long- term growth, despite the sub-prime fears.

Lorraine Tan, S&P’s vice-president for Asian Equity Research, sees Singapore banks, in particular, as being very stable in a market where there is widespread fear of a financial sector collapse brought on by the US sub-prime crisis.

‘Middle Asia banks have always had a naturally growing loans market,’ she noted. ‘They did not need to do much on the treasury side for income growth.’

As such, the exposure of banks in places like Singapore, China and Malaysia to collateralised debt obligations and other financial instruments has not been as rampant, she added.

Ms Tan noted that the sub-prime jitters had nevertheless rattled markets here so badly that values had started emerging in various sectors.

‘In Singapore, we have drifted down from around 15 times earnings, to around 13 times. This is much lower than the 25 times during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.’

She noted that these valuations were supported by strong corporate fundamentals. ‘Asian corporates are much stronger now than they were during the 1997 financial crisis,’ she noted. ‘Balance sheets are strong and debt levels are low, while at the market level, there is still a lot of liquidity out there. And savings rates are very high.’

Still, the Asian markets were clearly in a bear zone. However, given the intrinsic strength within the system, the current US-contagion ‘hit’ will be less severe and the market’s recovery will be speedier than during the previous crisis, she added.

‘As soon as there is some sign of clarity, we should see markets rebound very strongly.’

But governments have to manage the tendency for Asian consumers to stop spending and oversave at the first sign of trouble. And the Asian real estate sector is a key factor, where a diminution in perceived value could have a severe psychological impact on demand and spending.

The good news, she added, was that the current jitters will prevent Asian governments from taking measures which could kill off demand. China, for example, could now hold back from manipulating the yuan.

Ms Tan has nevertheless lowered her target for the Straits Times Index this year to 3,500 points, from 4,000 earlier.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

US economic woes, rate cuts fuelling HK property boom

Analysts see prices revisiting the heady 1997 peak

(HONG KONG) When first- time buyer Judy Kwan heard a flat was for sale in a street she admired in Hong Kong’s Wanchai district, she snapped it up within 24 hours without even seeing it, inheriting a tenant she had never met.

Now she wants to buy another as the property market surges from a strong economy and mortgages become cheap as local interest rates drop in line with rate cuts in the United States.

Ms Kwan hopes property investment will allow her to retire in five years’ time, aged 50.

‘The price was right and the market’s going up,’ said Ms Kwan, an accountant, who paid US$282,000 for the boxing ring-sized flat in November.

The apartment’s value has risen 10 per cent since then and analysts predict that falling interest rates and rising salaries will propel prices back to a heady 1997 peak.

Hong Kong’s economy is riding on the coat-tails of China’s boom, but its currency peg with the US dollar forces the territory to officially track US interest rate cuts. Local banks have more leeway but have still slashed rates by 100 basis points in the past two weeks as the US federal funds rate has fallen to 3 per cent.

So the housing downturn and mortgage crisis that threatens the US economy has indirectly bolstered Hong Kong property.

Monthly transactions for mass market housing in the final three months of last year were on average 63 per cent higher than in the rest of 2007, hitting their highest level for a decade.

Real Hong Kong mortgage rates are now negative, below inflation of 3.8 per cent and it has become cheaper to buy than rent, analysts say.

A Merrill Lynch property analyst has predicted a 50 per cent rally in property prices in the next two years, prompting several Hong Kong employees at the bank to go on an apartment hunting spree. UBS has the same forecast.

Geoff Lewis, head of investment services at JF Asset Management, said property might ‘catch fire’.

The expected boom fed a price rally late last year in Hong Kong’s biggest developers, including Sun Hung Kai

Properties, Cheung Kong Holdings and Henderson Land Development, but Hong Kong’s property sub-index has see-sawed this year.

Several Hong Kong developers are also expected to get an extra kick from their fast growing mainland China businesses.

But many analysts say buying an apartment is better than buying shares, as equity markets will probably stay volatile. Others suggest investors suffering share losses might have less cash to invest in real estate.

New housing supply in the next three years is forecast at half levels seen during the 1990s boom, and interest rates could fall further while inflation heads above 4 per cent, economists say.

With no control over monetary policy and inflation on the rise, a 50 per cent appreciation in flat prices could pose a risk for an economy that saw property prices nosedive 65 per cent when the last property boom burst 10 years ago.

Economists, however, are not worried about an asset price bubble just yet.

They think a strong property market will create wealth, spur consumer spending, and enable the territory to still notch up 4-5 per cent economic growth even if the US economy tips into recession and hits exports from one of the world’s busiest ports.

Hong Kong’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown an average 7 per cent annually in the last four years.

‘Mass market property prices are still 35-40 per cent below their peak in 1997,’ said Nicholas Kwan, Asian head of research at Standard Chartered Bank.

‘So even if they rise 30-40 per cent, prices would only be what they were 10 years ago,’ he said. ‘It’s hard to argue that would be a bubble.’

Hong Kong home prices slid after the 1997 Asian economic crisis. Home prices were rocked by the bursting of the dotcom bubble and they slumped in a 2003 outbreak of the Sars respiratory disease, before rebounding about 80 per cent in the last four years.

Clifford Lam at Credit Suisse believes a steady Hong Kong economy could send home prices up 15-20 per cent this year but warns against complacency.

‘If the US goes into recession and China’s economic growth slows, Hong Kong businesses, including exporters and high rollers in the financial industry, are going to get hit,’ he said. ‘Some of the home buyers that are jumping into the market on the assumption property prices will rise 40-50 per cent will be disappointed.’

Prices for luxury property, on a four-year roll, have already returned to 1997 levels, with an Indonesian fund paying US$30 million for a house on Hong Kong’s iconic mountain, the Peak, last month – an Asian record on a per sq ft basis.

With the pegged Hong Kong dollar’s weakening, property has become attractive to foreigners and mainland Chinese.

For Judy Kwan, buying an apartment allows her to diversify out of a Hong Kong stock market that surged 39 per cent in 2007, and get a yield on her investment of 5.6 per cent a year. Bank deposit rates range between 0.75 per cent and zero.

‘I don’t believe in putting money in the bank, inflation is rising,’ said Ms Kwan, who has doubled her money on some mutual fund investments over the past four years. ‘You need to diversify your investments and rental income will cover my mortgage. It’s a win-win situation.’

 

Source:  Reuters (Business Times 5 Feb 08)

Subsales may spike again as projects near completion

NEWS ANALYSIS

Prices could soften if ‘specuvestors’ are forced to offload properties

(SINGAPORE) Speculative activity took a breather in Q4 last year as the number of subsales as well as their share of total private home deals were down sharply from the preceding two quarters of 2007. However, many in the industry are wondering whether subsales will again spike closer to the physical completion dates for some highprofile projects sold substantially on deferred payment (DP) schemes.

Among the projects that will be keenly watched are The Sail @ Marina Bay, The Coast (at Sentosa Cove), The Grange, and The Suites at Central in the Devonshire Road area, all of which were sold amidst much hype. The first two projects are scheduled to receive Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) next year and the latter two, this year.

The coming wave of subsales – if there’s one – may not be so much a reflection of speculative froth in the market but rather of buyers seeking to offload their units before the DP expires.

Those who bought their properties on DP schemes would typically have paid 10 or 20 per cent of their purchase price to the developer with the next payment (of 75 per cent or 65 per cent, respectively) deferred till the project receives TOP. By TOP, the developer would collect 85 per cent of the sale price.

Such buyers can shop for a bank loan until closer to the project’s TOP date.

However, buyers who picked up multiple units in some of these developments on DP schemes and are still sitting on them may not be able to secure sufficient housing loans to foot the bills when the projects obtain TOP.

Banks may turn cautious over advancing loans for multiple property purchases. Some, for example, may only be prepared to lend up to 70 per cent – based on their credit assessment and servicing ability of the borrower – instead of 80-90 per cent, of the purchase price of the property or its current value, whichever is lower.

These ‘specuvestors’ may find that it makes more sense to sell their units in the subsale market before they receive a big bill from developers.

Such subsales, while apparently ‘forced’ by the difficulty of finding enough housing loans, could still yield handsome gains for such investors – given the huge rise in upmarket home prices.

However, if a sizeable number of such properties come on the subsale market, some sellers may be willing to accept below-market values. This will clip developers’ pricing power when they sell new projects in nearby locations.

Already, BT understands that some individual investors, anticipating ‘dumping’ from speculators, are teaming up to snap up some of these units at below-market prices.

Jones Lang LaSalle’s head of research (South-east Asia) Chua Yang Liang reckoned that some buyers who purchased units on DP during the initial launches may begin to review their options around five to six months ahead of TOP. ‘Supply of such properties in the subsale market could potentially increase from the latter half of this year, which could potentially see prices easing,’ Dr Chua said.

Of course, it may be a different story altogether if sentiment in the high-end market picks up again.

A lot will also depend on the holding power of those who still have units they’ve bought from developers. Some may not face problems getting housing loans, because they have the ability to service them. Such buyers may just go ahead and pay that big instalment when the project receives TOP.

Another factor that will bear on the extent of ‘forced’ subsales is the profile of buyers in each project – the mix of those who bought units with a view to living in them, and those who purchased with an eye on flipping before the project’s completion.

A seasoned property agent told BT that a condo in the East Coast area receiving TOP soon recently saw several buyers offering their units at prices considerably below what was being achieved just a few weeks ago – before the stock market plunge.

Then there’s another theory. While we may see a flurry of subsales for projects sold in the past on DP, it will be a different story going ahead.

With no new projects approved by the authorities for DP schemes since DP was scrapped in late October 2007, new launches going ahead will attract fewer potential speculators. This is because those who buy into projects without DP schemes know they will have to make regular progress payments to the developer and in all likelihood have to obtain housing loans.

‘You’ll see more genuine buyers in the market,’ as ERA Realty Network divisional director Andrew Soh said.

‘Developers may still be able to maintain current prices, or even achieve higher prices. But instead of weeks, it may take them months, or even years, to sell out projects.’

‘As new project launches attract fewer speculators, I may have to sell physical homes and not just paper (options),’ he quipped.

 

Source: Business Times 5 Feb 08

590 HDB blocks picked for upgrading

58 locations selected for improvement under revised schemes

ABOUT 590 Housing Board blocks in 58 locations islandwide have been picked for the next batch of improvement works under the HDB’s recently revised upgrading schemes. Areas set to benefit include Yishun, Tampines and Hougang.

These schemes include the new Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) – unveiled last year – as well as the ongoing lift upgrading programme.

The HIP focuses on essential improvements within a flat, such as repairing spalling concrete. It also gives residents the choice of opting out of certain items to cut costs.

This scheme replaces the more extensive Main Upgrading Programme, which had been more expensive because work was done both inside and outside the flat.

Under the other new programme, the NRP, a few adjoining estates will be spruced up together, with the cost fully borne by the Government. The bigger budget involved makes it possible for larger items such as tennis courts and skating parks to be considered as part of the works.

Residents will also be consulted on how they want their estate improved.

The HDB, which said earlier that the HIP would be first done in two precincts in Yishun and Tampines, announced yesterday that it will double that number to four and include other towns in view of strong public support shown in recent surveys.

Meanwhile, eight estates have been selected for the NRP and another 52 for lift upgrading – where housing blocks are renovated to give residents lift access at every level.

The lift upgrading programme is still the mainstay of improvement works as the Government has pledged to give direct lift access to almost every block by 2014. In 2006, for example, the Government said it was selecting 70 precincts comprising 600 to 700 blocks for the programme. In 2005, it was 480 blocks in 64 precincts.

The Minister of State for National Development, Ms Grace Fu, said yesterday the Government was on track to meet the 2014 deadline.

Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng said that 16 blocks in Tampines Street 11 under her charge have been picked for lift upgrading in the latest list.

She added: ‘Many of the elderly fear becoming isolated in their flats as they find it increasingly hard to climb stairs. Over the years, some in wheelchairs had to move out of the estate, even though they loved the place, because they could not negotiate the stairs without help…’

Residents in about 70 per cent, or 3,600, of the eligible blocks have been offered lift upgrading so far.

Some estates in the latest list will have more than one type of upgrading work done at the same time to reduce inconvenience.

Six precincts comprising about 30 blocks previously picked for the Main Upgrading Programme under the old regime will also be switching to the new programmes, at the request of their MPs.

About 300,000 flats out of almost 900,000 islandwide will be eligible for the HIP, while 200,000 units can undergo work for the NRP.

Details of the specific locations of these selected precincts will be announced by their respective MPs later.

Work on this batch is expected to be completed within five years.

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS: Better traffic access for Sentosa, VivoCity and HarbourFront

Volume likely to rise due to IR, new condos; works to start in June

THE roads leading to Sentosa, VivoCity and HarbourFront will be widened to cater to an anticipated increase in traffic into the area.

With one of Singapore’s two integrated resorts opening on Sentosa and new condominiums to be built in the area by 2010, traffic is likely to go up by 30 per cent, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday.

The Sentosa Gateway junction at Telok Blangah Road now sees about 6,000 cars during the evening peak period.

By 2010, the number will likely be between 8,000 and 9,000.

LTA director of transport planning Lina Lim told reporters yesterday: ‘Without the improvement works, I think we would expect very long queues and not being able to clear junctions…’

The road widening works, expected to begin in June and be completed in 11/2 years, will span a 2km stretch from the junction of Keppel and Kampong Bahru roads to the junction of Telok Blangah and Henderson roads.

These are the improvements to be made:

• An extra lane will be added to both sides of Telok Blangah Road, to give each side four lanes;
• Another lane will be kept specially for cars turning left into Sentosa Gateway from west-bound Telok Blangah Road, to make two left-turn lanes;
• Another lane will be added for vehicles turning right into Sentosa Gateway from east-bound Telok Blangah Road, making three lanes there;
• Adding an extra left-turn lane for vehicles going from Sentosa Gateway to Telok Blangah Road, to make three lanes there.

  Other changes: Kampong Bahru Road will be widened, and improvements will be made to the Henderson Road/Telok Blangah Road junction and the HarbourFront Walk/Telok Blangah Road junction.

  The viaduct which takes cars overhead, in front of VivoCity mall, will have an extra exit built from it.

  An exit will be created near Morse Road, just before Henderson Road, which will enable motorists to bypass the HarbourFront area and at least four traffic lights.

Miss Hwang E-wan, a 25-year-old investment banking analyst who lives along Wishart Road off Telok Blangah Road, is glad for this.

To get home, she usually goes through the jam outside VivoCity.

‘The alternative is to use the Alexandra Road exit and then make a U-turn back to my house. This will help me escape all that.’

A VivoCity spokesman said that traffic in the area was generally fine on weekdays but can build up on Fridays, weekends and public holidays.

Sentosa said its plans to increase the number of arrival lanes and to move its admission booths inland would complement LTA’s plans.

An electronic parking guidance system will also be introduced in the HarbourFront area.

Large signboards will alert motorists where carpark lots are available, which will cut down congestion by reducing the number of cars circling the area looking for lots.

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

F1 in S’pore ‘an opportunity on the doorstep’

THE inaugural Singapore Grand Prix offers companies in the Republic an unprecedented opportunity to do some marketing and branding to a vast global audience, said a visiting Formula One (F1) marketing expert.

Still, few Singapore names have thus far stepped forward to take advantage of the opportunity that is ‘right here on your doorstep’, said Mr Mark Gallagher, the London-based managing director of sports marketing consultancy Eden Rock Sports Management.

This, he said, was a great pity and ironic considering the way that Changi Airport’s transit lounge has been blanketed by Royal Bank of Scotland’s advertisements celebrating the Singapore Grand Prix. The bank is one of F1′s global sponsors.

Mr Gallagher is in Singapore to discuss F1-related marketing prospects with potential clients in the banking and logistics industries.The Singapore leg of the race, in September, is the first night race in F1 history.

With more than 800 print journalists and 150 TV crews covering it, the Singapore Grand Prix is expected to generate tremendous global buzz, said Mr Gallagher, who has teamed up with Singapore public relations agency Baldwin Boyle Shand to offer specialised F1-related marketing services.

The global TV audience for F1 is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions.

This lack of local participation is probably not due to a lack of interest, said Mr Gallagher.

More likely, wannabe-Singapore marketeers have been spooked by reports of multi-million-dollar F1-related deals, which have given the impression that companies without such hefty budgets have no chance to get in on the buzz.

That impression is wrong, said Mr Gallagher, who has worked for a number of F1 teams, including stints with the Jordan and Jaguar teams.

‘Commercially astute’ F1 teams are very open to sponsorship talks, he said. Prices range from US$50,000 (S$70,800) for ‘hospitality’ – industry- speak for getting an F1 team or a driver to appear at a company’s event like a gala dinner or product launch, to US$500,000 or more to sponsor one of the 12 F1 team’s Singapore races.

While this is not pocket change, such budgets are clearly well within the means of many Singapore companies, he said.

And while cash sponsorship is always a priority, teams are not above bartering for goods and services they need, such as technical support or printing supplies, he said.

The cleverest deals, he said, are probably available now, in the race’s first year. This is because success breeds success, and if the race this year is successful – and he is confident it will be – costs are likely to spiral up in the following years, he said.

The F1 race will be in Singapore for the next five years.

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

Small businesses in S’pore less bullish about growth outlook

SMALL businesses in Singapore are less confident about the growth outlook compared with six months ago, according to the latest survey by HSBC Singapore.

The bank conducted a survey covering more than 2,700 small businesses across nine economies.

In Singapore, only 32 per cent of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) surveyed expect faster economic growth over the next six months.

Just six months ago, 73 per cent of SMEs polled expected economic growth to speed up.

Singapore trails behind Vietnam, where 90 per cent of the SMEs polled expect faster growth over the next six months.

But Singapore SMEs are more optimistic than businesses in Hong Kong, where only 26 per cent of those polled expect the economy to grow at a faster pace.

About one-third of the respondents in Singapore plan to raise their capital expenditure over the next six months.

This was down from the 44 per cent of SMEs polled six months ago who said that they would be increasing their capital expenditure.

With fears of a global slowdown, only 24 per cent of respondents plan to expand their workforce by up to or more than 20 per cent over the next six months. Last year, about 36 per cent of Singapore SMEs said they plan to hire more staff.

In this year’s survey, a whopping 74 per cent of SMEs plan to maintain current staffing levels.

‘Clearly, these figures reflect a bit of a cautious outlook in Singapore, as compared with the previous survey,’ said HSBC Singapore’s head of commercial banking, Ms Tan Siew Meng.

Still, it bodes well for the economy as a whole that Singapore’s economy saw continued strong gross domestic product growth last year and most of the SMEs surveyed expect the same or higher level of growth this year, Ms Tan said.

The half-yearly survey, conducted in the fourth quarter of last year, covered SMEs in economies including China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

SMEs were asked about their local economic outlook, and whether they plan to invest and hire. Those engaging in cross- border trade were asked their views on trade volumes with mainland China, the rest of Asia and the rest of the world.

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

HELP FOR SWISS BANK: GIC ‘prepared to adjust terms of UBS deal’

THE Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) is prepared to adjust the terms of its deal to buy 9 per cent of UBS to help the Swiss bank win shareholder approval, GIC deputy chairman Tony Tan was quoted as saying yesterday.

UBS, Europe’s hardest-hit bank from the credit crisis, received a lifeline of 13 billion Swiss francs (S$17.1 billion) from GIC and an undisclosed Middle East investor in December to shore up capital hurt by hefty United States sub-prime housing losses.

Under the deal, UBS will pay GIC – which will invest 11 billion Swiss francs – and the Middle East investor a coupon of 9 per cent on securities that can be converted into shares within approximately two years of the issue of the notes.

However, the terms of the deal have drawn ire from some smaller shareholders who said it is unfair that they cannot participate in the mandatory convertible bond, with some calling for a rejection of the deal.

‘We would be prepared to adjust the terms,’ Dr Tan said, according to the transcript of his interview with the Financial Times in Davos.

‘We would be prepared to see how we could help them. But we have signed an agreement with them so that has to be honoured.’ UBS has scheduled an extraordinary general meeting for Feb 27, when it will seek approval for the investment.

 

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 5 Feb 08)

SM GOH IN DUBAI: Grow economy, draw investments to fight inflation

S’pore can tap Middle East and China to grow; inflation here lower than other nations: SM

DUBAI – SINGAPORE can tackle the rising cost of living with a clear focus on spurring economic growth and wooing foreign investments, said Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

One front of this growth strategy is to open new doors in the Middle East and China, said Mr Goh on Sunday, at the end of his week-long visit to Qatar and Dubai.

‘I would say concentrate on generating economic growth and bringing foreign investments into Singapore,’ he said in an interview with Singapore journalists.

‘When there’s growth, people are employed, at least you can buy something. You have income, even though inflation is high.’

And salaries will hopefully grow faster than inflation in most instances, he said.

But the Government is also mindful that there will be cases of workers whose salaries will not rise faster than inflation, he said.

‘Here’s where the Workfare Income Supplement comes in. Maybe we could look at what we can do for them in the coming Budget.’

He added: ‘We have always done it in the past – some special distribution to special groups.’

The big picture, he said, was that inflation in Singapore is low by most countries’ standards.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday that this year’s inflation ‘could be 5 per cent, maybe even more. Especially in the first half, it is going to be high’.

But, SM Goh said, Dubai and Vietnam are experiencing inflation rates of over 10 per cent. In China, it is easily over 7 or 8 per cent.

‘All countries face this pressure because of high oil prices and because of the diversion of farm lands to grow biofuel,’ he said.

So in Malaysia, there was the phenomenon of a cooking-oil shortage, as palm-oil plantations are being diverted for biofuels, he observed.

Member of Parliament Ahmad Magad, who was in SM Goh’s delegation, said that Singaporeans need to know that the pressures of inflation are very much felt in the Middle East, too.

Another economic challenge facing Singapore this year is the possibility of the United States tipping into recession. In the short term, some industries may be affected, said SM Goh. ‘But in the medium term, if you have a stream of investments coming in, you’ll be all right.’

His forecast for Singapore is still bright: ‘In my own view, this year we should be able to do fairly well. MTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry) still retains its forecast of 4.5 to 6.5 per cent growth for this year.’

His expectations of a fairly good year rest on a set of good performers in the economy. ‘Construction is still very active in Singapore. There are signs that the electronic cluster may begin to pick up. Financial services are still doing well.’

But Singapore exports may be affected. This may happen if there is a US recession and, at the same time, China grows a little slower, he said. ‘But on the whole, there are enough activities to give us the confidence that we should be able to grow within the range of 4.5 to 6.5 per cent for this year.’

SM Goh on…

FIGHTING INFLATION

‘I would say concentrate on generating economic growth and bringing foreign investments into Singapore.

When there’s growth, people are employed, at least you can buy something. You have income, even though inflation is high.’

HELPING THE AFFECTED

‘Maybe we could look at what we can do for them in the coming Budget. We have always done it the past – some special distribution to special groups.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

Asian CEOs more upbeat than their Western peers

DESPITE a general decline in confidence levels, Asian chief executive officers (CEOs) are more upbeat than their Western counterparts, says a new PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey.

The annual survey, conducted late last year, found that 50 per cent of CEOs were ‘very confident’ about revenue growth over the next 12 months, compared to 52 per cent the previous year – the first time confidence levels for CEOs globally has declined since the 2003 survey.

The difference in outlook was stark when comparing mature with emerging economies, however.

The overall drop in business confidence globally was most pronounced in North America, where 35 per cent of CEOs said they were ‘very confident’ about growth, versus 53 per cent last year.

The confidence of Asian CEOs, on the other hand, increased to 56 per cent in 2007, compared to 49 per cent in 2006.

CEOs in China and India were the most upbeat about the growth prospects in the next 12 months, with about 73 per cent and 90 per cent of the CEOs there respectively saying they were ‘very confident’ about next year’s growth prospects.

‘The world’s economic axis is shifting as Asia consolidates its position and we have good grounds for feeling optimistic about the immediate future,’ said PwC Singapore’s executive chairman Gautam Banerjee.

 

Source: The Straits Times 5 Feb 08

Shanghai stocks jump 8.1% as govt comes to rescue

SHANGHAI – CHINA’S main stock index jumped more than 8 per cent yesterday in its biggest daily rise since June 2005, after the authorities intervened to halt a three-week slide in share prices.

Regulators’ approval of two new stock funds after a freeze of several months, official criticism of Ping An Insurance’s plan for a huge stock offer and the postponement of China Railway Construction’s US$4 billion (S$5.7 billion) initial public offering restored a good measure of battered investor confidence.

The Shanghai Composite Index opened more than 2 per cent higher and closed the day up 8.13 per cent at 4,672.17 points, within a whisker of its intra-day high of 4,672.214.

Gainers overwhelmed losers 865 to two, while over 300 stocks soared past their 10 per cent daily limits.

The index plunged 16.7 per cent last month amid panic-selling and remained 24 per cent below last October’s record high.

Most of the official steps were aimed at resolving one of the market’s biggest worries – the possibility of a big oversupply of fresh equity relative to demand.

In another gesture of official support, Mr Li Rongrong, head of the state asset management agency, was quoted by official media as saying China’s fierce winter weather would not affect the earnings of listed state firms controlled by the central government, so stock investors should not worry. The weather was improving and transport bottlenecks easing, local media said.

Banks helped lead the index up, continuing a rally that began on Friday amid signs China might ease a tight monetary policy to offset the impact of a slowing United States economy and ease the funding squeeze suffered by small banks and firms in recent weeks.

China’s central bank also introduced measures to enable commercial lenders to do more for developers of affordable housing.

China has long tried to boost incentives for firms to build cheaper housing, as the country’s booming real estate market has generated riches for some but put the price of home ownership out of reach for many.

Banks can now extend loans for affordable housing if the developers raise 30 per cent of the total capital. That compares with a 35 percent requirement for developers of more expensive homes.

Banks may lend to developers of affordable housing at interest rates as low as 90 per cent of the benchmark lending rate, which stands at 7.47 per cent a year, and for as long as five years, up from three years before, it said.

The central bank and the country’s banking regulator also expanded the category of those allowed to extend such loans to all financial institutions, such as joint-stock banks, from just state-owned banks.

The central bank signalled a relaxation of its credit clampdown last Thursday when it called on commercial banks to speed up loans to areas of the country battered by harsh winter weather.

A commentary published yesterday by the People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of the Communist Party, also criticised Ping An, whose plan for an equity sale as large as US$22 billion terrified investors last month because of fears the market could not absorb the share supply.

Fund managers said this almost guaranteed Ping An would not be able to proceed with the plan and might sharply cut any revised fund-raising proposal.

Metals-related shares, meanwhile, surged after Aluminum Corp of China teamed up with US aluminium producer Alcoa to buy a US$14 billion stake in Rio Tinto, which might block BHP Billiton’s effort to win Rio.

 

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 5 Feb 08)

ICBC sets reserves aside for possible 30% sub-prime loss

BEIJING – CHINA’S biggest bank, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), has set aside reserves equal to 30 per cent of its US$1.2 billion (S$1.7 billion) in sub-prime holdings to cover possible losses, a state news agency reported yesterday.

The report, if confirmed, would be the first indication that Chinese banks, which have so far avoided damage from the United States’ credit crisis, might face problems due to holdings of sub-prime mortgage securities.

ICBC chairman Jiang Jianqing disclosed the figures at a weekend meeting, the Xinhua News Agency said.

Phone calls to ICBC’s press and investor relations offices were not answered.

Chinese banks are believed to hold only modest amounts of sub-prime debt. But financial markets are watching them closely to see how they will be affected.

Last month, investors sold Chinese bank shares after a news report that the Bank of China, the country’s No. 2 lender, might record a loss for last year due to sub-prime problems. The Bank of China denied that but has yet to release details on the status of its sub-prime holdings.

Mr Jiang said ICBC’s sub-prime holdings ‘remained stable but risk reserves had been increased in the fourth quarter after supervisory departments issued warnings on a possible deterioration of the sub-prime crisis’, according to Xinhua.

The Bank of China and ICBC are believed to have China’s largest holdings of sub-prime mortgage debt.

ICBC had said earlier that it holds US$1.2 billion in sub- prime bonds, while Bank of China said in October that it had sub-prime debt valued at US$7.95 billion.

 

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS (The Straits Times 5 Feb 08)

Bush unveils record $4.2 trillion budget

Boost in military funding and cutbacks in health schemes mooted

WASHINGTON – THE United States’ first-ever budget to hit US$3 trillion (S$4.2 trillion) has been proposed by President George W. Bush.

It aims to boost military funding, virtually freeze many domestic programmes, and will result in huge fiscal deficits of around US$400 billion for this year and next.

Democrats, who control Congress, are pledging fierce opposition to the spending plan, Mr Bush’s last before he leaves office.

The 2009 budget, sent to Congress yesterday and due to begin on Oct1, would more than double the US$163 billion shortfall recorded last year.

It would approach the US$413 billion budget gap of 2004, which was a record in dollar terms, although the Bush administration emphasises that the deficits in the next few years would likely be around 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product – not far from the historical average.

With the economy possibly teetering on the brink of a recession, revenues are expected to suffer, reversing a trend of the past three years in which annual deficits declined.

A promised US$150 billion stimulus package of tax rebates – reflected in the budget – will add to the deficit, at least in the short term, and funding for the Iraq war is another source of red ink.

In terms of cuts, the Bush plan aims to rein in domestic spending, in areas from home heating-oil assistance to health care.

While many – if not most – of the priorities of the Bush budget will be jettisoned by the Democratic-led Congress, its unveiling will trigger a new round of sparring over Mr Bush’s fiscal policies and economic legacy.

‘Today’s budget bears all the hallmarks of the Bush legacy – it leads to more deficits, more debt, more tax cuts, more cutbacks in critical services,’ said House Budget Committee chairman John Spratt, a South Carolina Democrat, yesterday.

‘Far from proposing a plan to fix the budget, the Bush administration proposes policies that worsen it.’

Last year, when Democrats were newly in the majority, there were drawn-out veto struggles. This year’s fights could be worse because it is an election year.

As in past years, Mr Bush’s biggest proposed increases are in national security. Defence spending is projected to rise by about 7per cent to US$515billion and homeland security money by almost 11per cent, with a big gain for border security.

The bulk of government programmes for which Congress sets annual spending levels would remain frozen at current levels.

The President does shower extra money on some favoured programmes in education and to bolster inspections of imported food.

His spending proposal would achieve sizeable savings by slowing growth in the major health programmes – Medicare for retirees and Medicaid for the poor. There, Mr Bush is asking for almost US$200billion in cuts over five years, about three times the savings he proposed last year.

Democrats say the plan is a continuation of failed policies that have seen the national debt explode under Mr Bush – projected surpluses of US$5.6 trillion wiped out; and huge deficits taking their place, reflecting weaker revenues from the 2001 recession.

The Democrats also blamed Mr Bush’s costly US$1.3 trillion tax cuts during his first term.

‘The Bush administration is going to hand the next president a fiscal meltdown,’ Senate Budget Committee chairman Kent Conrad told Reuters.

 

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS, REUTERS (The Straits Times 5 Feb 08)

US December factory orders below forecast

WASHINGTON – NEW orders at United States factories rose a less-than-expected 2.3 per cent in December, the steepest gain since July, on strong aircraft sales, a government report showed yesterday.

Orders for durable goods, items intended to last three years or longer, jumped 5 per cent, also the biggest gain since July, as civilian aircraft orders climbed 11.7 per cent, the Commerce Department said. Durables orders were revised down from the 5.2 per cent gain originally reported last week.

When transportation was stripped out, orders rose a modest 0.7 per cent.

Analysts polled by Reuters were expecting a 2.5 per cent gain in factory orders and a 5 per cent rise in durable goods orders.

‘Things that are tied to housing are weakening, but things that aren’t are holding up reasonably well,’ said senior economist Mark Vitner at Wachovia Corp in Charlotte, North Carolina. ‘We may see frustratingly slow economic growth but we will still see growth.’

Non-defence capital goods orders excluding aircraft, considered a gauge of business spending, climbed 4.5 per cent, the largest increase since March.

‘Carmakers and home builders are working off inventories, and that has got to cause further reductions up the pipeline,’ said Mr Vitner.

 

Source: REUTERS (The Straits Times 4 Feb 08)

ACCREDITATION SCHEME: Plans for new group to lift standards of housing agents

A GROUP of property agencies plans to form a new association to raise standards in response to growing complaints about estate agents.

The group, which will be separate from the Institute of Estate Agents (IEA), will work closely with an ongoing accreditation scheme to lift the industry’s game.

Complaints about agents have shot up in the past two years amid a property boom, prompting disquiet among some about the sector, which remains largely self-regulated.

Unlike the IEA, which has individual agents as members, the new body will involve estate agencies, said the chairman of its interim committee, property consultant David Ong.

The new body is likely to be linked to the Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies Scheme (SAEA), which last year was reported to have vetted more than 7,000 agents out of the 30,000 or so working in the industry.

It is understood that more than 10 agencies – including HSR Property Group and KF Property Network – will be joining the group. KF Property is the agency division of Knight Frank.

More details are expected soon, but the director of KF Property, Dr Tan Tee Khoon, told The Straits Times that the new body would allow the agency heads to share information about rogue agents as well as host seminars and conferences to raise standards.

A register of agents from member agencies could also be set up.

The group could rival the efforts of the IEA, which introduced a registry in 2006. That registry lists about 350 agencies with almost 21,000 agents.

Dr Tan denied that the new group would rival IEA, saying rather that it would help curb the problem of errant agents. ‘We are really trying to cover more ground. Members of the public are free to choose whether they want to use an IEA agent or an agent with the new association,’ he said.

His firm was among a group of agencies that raised concerns about IEA’s practising certificate scheme when it was launched last year.

The certificate was given to IEA members – which number about 1,400 now – who pledged to abide by its code of conduct. The dissenting group, which included HSR, DTZ Debenham Tie Leung and Global Real Estate, felt the certificate could confuse the public and called instead for the industry to support the SAEA.

One agency chief, Mr Chris Koh from Dennis Wee Properties, said the new group could work if it united all the industry’s head honchos. But IEA’s first vice-president and the chief executive of Propnex, Mr Mohamed Ismail, felt it would divide the industry instead and spread resources too thinly.

There were 1,717 housing agencies in Singapore as at the end of last year. The largely unregulated property sector has had a bad reputation over the years. The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 1,113 complaints last year, up from 991 in 2006.

Case said the complaints involved agents misrepresenting facts, failing to honour promised terms and providing unsatisfactory services, among other things.

Industry veterans say the problem lies in the fact that only agencies are licensed, so agents sacked for unethical conduct can simply practise in another firm.

The Government, however, has consistently shied away from regulating agents.

Case is working with IEA to look into setting up another accreditation system for housing agencies.

 

Source: The Straits Times 4 Feb 08

WARRANT WATCH: CapitaLand contracts active on share plunge, bond issue

THE recent plunge in CapitaLand shares and news that the company is offering a convertible bond issue are drawing traders into fresh positions on warrants for South-east Asia’s biggest developer.

CapitaLand shares fared better than other property plays during the recent sub-prime selldown, but they took a beating last week. They plunged 73 cents for the week, ending 10 cents down at $5.80 with 37.3 million units done last Friday.

Mr Ooi Lid Seng, Societe Generale’s (SG’s) vice-president of structured products for Asia excluding Japan, said: ‘The counter has dropped about 12 per cent in the last five trading days.’

One reason was the recent slew of analyst reports urging investors to exercise caution with property stocks.

For example, Citigroup cut target prices for CapitaLand and City Developments last week, citing an expected moderation in office and residential prices.

Also last week, CapitaLand announced plans to raise $1.3 billion via a 10-year convertible bond issue. With a conversion price of $8.614, the bond pays a coupon rate of 3.125 per cent a year.

Mr Ooi highlighted a CapitaLand call warrant offered by SG for those who hold a positive view of the company.

It has a strike price of $6 and expires on July 14. No trades were done last Friday.

Last Friday, the most active SG CapitaLand contract was a call warrant with an exercise price of $6.22 that lapses on July 7. That contract closed 2.5 cents lower at 21.5 cents with 5.07 million units done.

Another active SG CapitaLand contract was a call warrant that expires on March 10 with a strike price of $6.70. Last Friday, it ended one cent down at two cents with 150,000 units traded.

In Mr Ooi’s view, the short-term outlook for CapitaLand shares is negative. He added: ‘The counter is likely to retest the $5.92 level should it rebound with minor support at $5.40.’

A call warrant lets an investor buy into a stock or index at a preset price over a period of three to nine months.

A put warrant allows an investor to sell the stock or index at a preset price over a fixed period of time.

 

Source: The Straits Times 4 Feb 08

Prices up everywhere, but inflation rate for food low here

Govt casting net wider to source for food; businesses also helping to limit price hikes

FACTORY operator Loke Yew Whye, a 54-year-old father of three school-going children, is finding it hard to cope with rising food prices.

The family, which survives on about $2,000 a month, which he and his wife earn, has been buying house brands from one of supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice’s Bedok branches to save money.

Last night, for example, a 5kg bag of FairPrice Thai fragrant white rice cost the family $4.70, half the price of a similar-size bag of Royal Umbrella fragrant rice at $9.50.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan yesterday urged Singaporeans to consider alternatives, such as by buying house brand products, as a way to cope with rising food costs worldwide.

Last year, food prices were 2.9 per cent higher than in 2006, going by the consumer price index (CPI).

Globally, market forces pushed up food prices.

Record oil prices raised the cost of producing and transporting food, while increasing wealth enjoyed by people in China and India have pumped up demand for meat and other food items, edging them northward.

On the other hand, bad weather reduced crop yield, so the mix of higher demand and lower supply have sent prices up.

Mr Lee added: ‘As Singapore imports most of its food, we can’t run away from this worldwide trend of rising prices.’

But the Government is not going to step in to impose price controls, he added.

‘From the experience of other countries which have done so, price controls have always led to hoarding, empty shelves and black market pricing,’ he said.

Instead, the Government is fighting the problem by diversifying its food sources to reduce the impact of supply disruptions from any single source.

For example, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority has looked beyond Malaysia and China for vegetables.

The supply of greens now also comes from Vietnam and Indonesia.

NTUC FairPrice is doing the same with rice and other produce.

Its managing director, Mr Seah Kian Peng, said FairPrice is buying Vietnamese rice, which is 20 per cent cheaper than Thai rice.

NTUC also packages items from cooking oil to soap under its house brand. These are generally 10 to 15 per cent cheaper than branded items, he added.

Meanwhile, it appears that businesses have not passed on the full brunt of increased prices to consumers.

Last December, the prices of imported food increased by 12.1 per cent from prices in December 2006, but the non-cooked food component of the CPI, such as rice and meat, went up by only 7.1 per cent during the same period.

What this means, Mr Lee said, is that supermarkets and shops have not passed on their full cost increases.

He pointed out that inflation among food items here has remained low by international standards.

The Republic has one of the lowest rates of inflation when it comes to food, going by a survey of 14 countries by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Only Japan, Australia and South Korea had lower rates than Singapore.

But the question is: Will food prices continue rising?

Mr Lee said did not know, because food prices were shaped by a variety of factors.

For a consumer like Mr Loke, the rising costs of utilities and public transport, as well, add to his worries. He said in Mandarin: ‘The price increases all add up. The cost of living is becoming a bigger burden by the day.’

 

Source: The Straits Times 4 Feb 08

Firms post strong gains so far, but all eyes are on bank results

Keppel Corp leads at half-time with record full-year earnings of $1.13b

THE stock market may have had a torrid time of late, but the financial reporting season has so far brought little but big smiles for investors.

With the reporting season for companies with Dec 31 year-ends now at the halfway mark, Singapore has so far registered another sterling year of profits.

Among the 32 Singapore- listed early birds that had reported by 5pm last Friday, total profits were $4.07 billion, up a dazzling 68.3 per cent on the $2.42 billion for 2006.

Of those that reported full- year results, 31 were in the black. And 22 of them posted higher earnings.

Racking up the largest profit number, in absolute terms, was Keppel Corp. The company’s earnings for the 12 months ended Dec 31 last year rose 50.6 per cent to $1.13 billion, thanks mainly to booming business at its oil rig and shipbuilding unit.

Keppel’s record gain calmed jittery investors concerned over whether it might face foreign-exchange losses similar to those that rocked other offshore and marine companies like SembCorp Marine (SembMarine) last year.

SembMarine, now mired in a lawsuit with BNP Paribas over forex losses, will report full-year results on Feb 22.

The sharp spikes in crude oil prices last year also helped propel the full-year net earnings of Keppel associate, Singapore Petroleum Company, to a record of $508.3 million.

On the property front, many real estate investment trusts have unveiled strong full-year profit scorecards.

One of the top performers in that category is CapitaMall Trust, whose net income available for distribution for last year came to $211.2 million, up 25 per cent from the $169.4 million posted in the same period a year earlier.

One of the poorest performers was Evergro Properties – a member of the Keppel group – which reported a 97.4 per cent plunge in full-year net profit for last year on the back of lower divestment gains.

Several big-cap counters – including StarHub, ComfortDelGro, City Developments, Great Eastern Holdings and SembCorp Industries – are due to report their results this month.

However, it is the traditional top earners – DBS Group Holdings, United Overseas Bank (UOB) and OCBC Bank – that are likely to come under the most scrutiny, with analysts not ruling out more write-downs on assets linked to United States sub-prime mortgages.

‘What is currently of utmost concern are the results of the local banks, as great uncertainty and anxiety rule in the wake of the big casualties surfacing from the sub-prime fiasco affecting the top banks and brokerages in the world,’ said Mr Najeeb Jarhom, the senior vice-president of research at AmFraser Securities.

Another concern is how the net interest margins of local banks will be affected by the falling Singapore interbank offered rate (Sibor) – the rate at which banks lend to one another.

‘A falling Sibor environment is likely to post a threat to the net interest margins of Singapore banks, as all three of them are net interbank lenders,’ said Kim Eng analyst Pauline Lee.

Economists expect the Sibor to go even lower by midyear, due partly to the US cutting its key interest rate.

Phillip Securities Research investment analyst Brandon Ng has declared OCBC his top pick. OCBC is a conservative bank and made the largest provisions in the last quarter to cover the fallout from risky debt, compared with UOB and DBS, he said.

Deutsche Bank analyst Michael Chang feels Singapore banks offer cheap valuations for their rapidly improving fundamentals.

‘We recommend an overweight position,’ he noted.

 

Source: The Straits Times 4 Feb 08

UBS facing probe over sub-prime mortgage investments

Swiss bank may have inflated prices of securities despite drop in valuations

CHICAGO – UNITED States government prosecutors are investigating whether Swiss banking giant UBS misled investors by reporting inflated prices of mortgage-backed securities it held despite knowing those valuations had eroded, The Wall Street Journal reported last Saturday.

The Journal, quoting unnamed sources familiar with the probe, said the investigation by the US Attorney for the Eastern D