
Asia First - Wed 2 Jul 2025
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Pandas on Japanese lawmakers' wish list as China's vice-premier plans visit to Osaka World Expo
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Four pandas had been returned to China from Japan in June. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng plans to visit Japan for a World Exposition event in Osaka on July 11 , with Japanese lawmakers looking to request a new lease of giant pandas to promote bilateral ties, diplomatic sources said on J uly 6 . July 11 marks China's national day at the expo. During Mr He's stay in Japan, he is expected to meet with Mr Hiroshi Moriyama, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who leads a cross-party group of China-friendly Japanese lawmakers. Mr Moriyama, a close aide to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, is also likely to call for the resumption of China's imports of Japanese beef, which have been suspended since 2001 due to an outbreak of mad cow disease. In contrast, China in June lifted its ban on Japanese seafood imports . The restriction was imposed in August 2023 after Japan began releasing treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. Mr Moriyama's request for the panda lease would come as the return of four pandas to China from Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, in June left only two in the country – a pair displayed at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo whose lease contract will expire in Februar y 2026 . KYODO NEWS


Independent Singapore
3 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
S'porean earning under S$3K asks: How is everyone affording flats, holidays, and maids?
Photo: Depositphotos/ amenic181 (for illustration purposes only) SINGAPORE: Scrolling up and down social media, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the high points – pals and families snapping pictures of their new HDB apartments, interesting holiday retreats, and the jubilant bedlam of expanding families. But underneath the surface, many are silently grappling with an exacting question — How are they making all these possible? A current Reddit post put this predicament in honest, relatable terms. The user, with an income less than S$3,000/month with CPF contributions and wrestling with health problems, asked the internet: How are people able to afford to buy flats, take several outings, raise kids, and sometimes, with maids? The disparity was unambiguous—while some people appeared to prosper with maids and regular retreats, the poster wriggled just to get by. This post hit a chord. The responses were an enlightening glimpse into the often-unseen layers of Singapore's economy and society. One common theme was the divide between median salaries and individual experiences. While the median monthly income with CPF is nearly S$6,000, that figure only says a small fraction of the story. For most, having an income less than S$3,000 is a hard-hitting truth, particularly with escalating prices and overall cost of living, healthcare expenditures, and the burden of financial commitments such as car loans and credit card debts. See also Artist claims he has sex with Mona Lisa 'Big commitments can lock you in,' one commenter said. 'If you lose your job, those loans don't disappear. The stress can be crushing.' Others indicated that the 'lustrous lives' on social media frequently are often just a façade of hidden struggles. A couple's Instagrammable holiday snapshot may conceal marital pressures; the delighted owner of a condo might be deep in debt. This selective sharing produces an impression of uniform success that isn't generally accurate. Several commenters voiced disappointment with the job market. Fresh graduates, in spite of the headlines hyping S$4,000+ beginning salaries, often face cut-rate job propositions. This conversation is a strong reminder that the economic challenges confronting many today aren't always evident. Underneath stories of accomplishment and beautiful lives, many are facing tough choices and privations. Usually in silence.
Business Times
5 hours ago
- Business Times
Gold, pesos and lasers: What's on Fidelity's investment radar
[HONG KONG] A weakening US dollar and volatile equity markets were among the hotly discussed themes at Fidelity International's Asia-Pacific Media Investment Conference in Hong Kong on Thursday (Jul 3). Speaking at the event, the firm's portfolio managers and analysts – who collectively manage US$900.7 billion in assets – outlined investment opportunities they are eyeing across currencies, commodities, and emerging markets. Here are some of the key picks: 1. Betting against the greenback The US dollar could continue to weaken, said Matthew Quaife, global head of multi asset, who favours the euro and yen. 'If I were to shut my eyes and say: 'Will the dollar be weaker or stronger in a year's time?' I think it would be weaker against the euro and yen,' he said. The greenback has fallen 11.65 per cent and 8 per cent year to date against the euro and yen, respectively, as at Friday's close. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up A weaker dollar means that investments in euro- or yen-denominated assets – such as equities or bonds – would deliver higher returns when converted back to US dollars. 2. Gold still glitters 'We continue to like gold; we've liked gold for a while, so obviously that's been a good trade,' said Quaife. 'It's likely going higher, even though it's gone a long way.' Spot gold prices have climbed 27.11 per cent year to date, fuelled by safe-haven demand amid US dollar weakness. While the metal has already 'run some distance', it could rise further if investors rotate out of US Treasuries, Quaife added: 'If even a small amount of US Treasury money goes chasing (after) gold, it can really run.' 3. Long on Philippine government bonds Philippine central bankers may cut rates again amid sluggish growth, said portfolio manager Terrence Pang, making local currency government bonds an attractive bet. 'We certainly see potential to cut (interest rates) twice, if the growth continues to be sluggish,' he said. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last trimmed its policy rate to 5.25 per cent in June, its lowest in two-and-a-half years. With bond prices typically rising when interest rates fall, Pang sees upside in this space. He also flagged the currency angle: while most Asian currencies have rebounded to pre-conflict levels after the Israel-Iran war, the peso has lagged by '1-and-a-bit' per cent – offering what he called a 'currency kicker'. 4. Chinese lidar on the rise Lidar sensor adoption in Chinese cars is accelerating fast, with 15 to 20 per cent of cars sold this year expected to come fitted with lidar, said portfolio manager Dale Nicholls. 'That's up from 5 to 10 per cent in 2024, and 1 to 2 per cent in 2023, so the growth is exponential,' he said. Used in autonomous vehicles and self-driving functions, lidar – or light detection and ranging – is also expanding into robotics applications, such as autonomous vacuum cleaners. Nicholls did not name specific stocks, citing company policy, though China's top players in the space include Hesai Group and RoboSense Technology.