Little bosses: Kids as young as five run businesses at children's fairs
SINGAPORE – Audrienne Hui En Mohammed Bazli is nine – and has a little business selling homemade plushies.
The Primary 4 pupil from Rulang Primary School set up shop for the third time on June 14 at the Children's Entrepreneurship Fair held at Furama RiverFront, a hotel in Havelock Road.
Get the ST Smart Parenting newsletter for expert advice. Visit the microsite for more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
10 minutes ago
- Straits Times
US stocks mixed as Trump tax Bill advances, Tesla falls
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Traders working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in New York City, on July 1. NEW YORK - Wall Street stocks finished mixed on July 1 after the Senate approved Donald Trump's sweeping legislation to extend tax cuts and enact deep reductions in social spending. The Republican-led upper congressional chamber narrowly cleared Mr Trump's mammoth domestic policy Bill, sending the measure back to the House of Representatives, where the vote is also expected to be close. Equity market viewers have cheered the prospects of extending tax cuts while expressing misgivings about projections that the measure will add some US$3 trillion (S$3.8 trillion) to the US national debt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9 per cent to 44,494.94. But the broad-based S&P 500 dipped 0.1 per cent to 6,198.01, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.8 per cent to 20,202.89. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at records on June 30. Data released on July 1 showed US manufacturing activity shrank in June for a fourth straight month, though by a slower rate than the prior month. The report comes ahead of key US data later in the week, including the closely watched monthly jobs report. Among individual companies, Tesla fell 5.3 per cent as the electric car company's chief executive officer Elon Musk sparred with Mr Trump over the tax and spending Bill. After Mr Musk lambasted the legislation as wasteful and misguided, Mr Trump warned of retribution against Tesla and other Mr Musk ventures. 'This high-profile feud introduces political risk,' said of the tiff. 'The personal nature of the conflict, amplified by Trump's comments implying Tesla's reliance on subsidies for survival, has sparked fears of broader policy shifts targeting Musk's business empire. This political uncertainty undermines investor confidence.' Meanwhile, rival automakers General Motors and Ford jumped 5.7 per cent and 4.6 per cent, respectively, after reporting higher second-quarter US auto sales, as consumers accelerated purchases to get ahead of US tariffs. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Shifting to Asia, Rubio meets Quad and talks minerals
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (far right) posing for a Quad group photo with (from left) Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, on July 1. WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on July 1 with counterparts from Australia, India and Japan, shifting focus to Asia after a tenure so far marked by crises elsewhere and domestic priorities. Mr Rubio had welcomed the foreign ministers of the so-called Quad on Jan 21 in his first meeting since President Donald Trump's inauguration, seen as a sign that the new administration would prioritise engagement with like-minded countries to counter China. Since then, much of Mr Rubio's attention has been on the Middle East, with the United States bombing Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israel; on Ukraine, as Mr Trump unsuccessfully seeks a ceasefire in Russia's invasion, and on boosting Mr Trump's domestic priorities such as mass deportations of migrants. Welcoming the three foreign ministers, Mr Rubio did not directly mention military concerns over China but said he sought cooperation among business and on raw materials – also key goals for the Trump administration. Mr Rubio told them he was focused on 'diversifying the global supply chain of critical minerals – not just access to the raw material, but also access to the ability to process and refine it to usable materials.' 'It's critical for all technologies and for all industries across the board,' Mr Rubio said, voicing hope for 'real progress' on the issue within the Quad. China holds major reserves of several key minerals including the vast majority of the world's graphite, which is crucial for electric vehicles. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seniors can claim $800 SG60 vouchers from July 1; adults to get $600 in vouchers from July 22 Singapore NSman, 30, dies in hospital after collapsing outside Maju Camp Asia Thai PM's suspension could spell end of Shinawatra clan's era of political dominance Singapore Judge rejects woman's claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend Singapore 'He fought till the end': Man who survived acid attack as a baby dies of cancer at 26 Singapore Trial opens for 3 women who allegedly organised procession outside Istana Business Do not overcommit to a single solution in a multi-polar world, says ex-foreign minister George Yeo Singapore 1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank disputes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore Beijing has sought to impose restrictions as leverage, as the United States in turn curbs its access to semiconductors and as Mr Trump wields the threat of punishing tariffs on both friends and foes. 'Free and open' Mr Trump is expected to travel to India later this year for a summit of the Quad. The four-way partnership was first conceived by late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who saw an alliance of democracies around China – which has repeatedly alleged that the Quad is a way to contain it. Mr Trump has long branded China as the top US adversary, but since returning to office has also saluted his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both the Indian and Japanese foreign ministers said that they wanted the Quad to focus on a 'free and open Indo-Pacific' – a phrasing that is a veiled allusion to opposing Chinese dominance in Asia. 'We're all committed to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,' Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. 'It is essential that nations of the Indo-Pacific have the freedom of choice, so essential to make right decisions on development and security,' he said. Mr Jaishankar also made clear that India would raise its strikes in May against Pakistan in response to a major attack on mostly Hindu civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir. 'India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,' he said. Despite shared concerns on China, the Quad members have differed on other hotspots. India has maintained a historic relationship with Russia despite the invasion of Ukraine. Both India and Japan also have historically warm relationships with Iran, whose nuclear sites the United States bombed in June in support of an Israeli campaign. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Spain and World Bank in push for wider use of 'debt swaps'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Vehicles pass in front of the World Bank building, which houses the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, in Washington, D.C. on May 20, 2022. Picture taken with a long exposure. Picture taken May 20, 2022. REUTERS/Raphael Satter/File Photo SEVILLE/LONDON - Spain has partnered with the World Bank to help poorer countries free up money to spend on development and conservation via debt "swaps," the country's Ministry of Economy said on Tuesday. With rich governments cutting official development aid and many countries struggling with their debts, nations are trying to find creative ways to fund projects ranging from protecting coral reefs to paying for schools. The Global Hub for Debt Swaps for Development, launched at the UN's Finance for Development summit in Seville, will provide technical and financial assistance to countries eyeing debt swaps for food security and climate change adaptation, the Spanish government said. Nations from Barbados and Belize to Ecuador and Ivory Coast have all used debt swaps in recent years, buying back more expensive loans or bonds and securing refinancing deals with cheaper rates. There have been roughly $6 billion worth of debt-for-nature swaps - transactions in which a country's debt is reduced in exchange for a commitment to invest in environmental conservation - in recent years. Development banks often play a crucial role by providing guarantees or risk insurance that brings down the cost of swapped debt and generates the savings. Critics say such deals can be time-consuming and complex, which has prevented more widespread adoption of a tool advocates say is critical to helping countries reduce debt burdens and address development issues. "We have heard loud and clear the message from many countries: we need practical tools that make debt swaps simpler, faster and more accessible," Spain's minister of Economy, Trade, and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seniors can claim $800 SG60 vouchers from July 1; adults to get $600 in vouchers from July 22 Singapore NSman, 30, dies in hospital after collapsing outside Maju Camp Asia Thai PM's suspension could spell end of Shinawatra clan's era of political dominance Singapore Judge rejects woman's claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend Singapore 'He fought till the end': Man who survived acid attack as a baby dies of cancer at 26 Singapore Trial opens for 3 women who allegedly organised procession outside Istana Business Do not overcommit to a single solution in a multi-polar world, says ex-foreign minister George Yeo Singapore 1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank disputes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore Spain will contribute 3 million euros ($3.54 million) to support the Hub, while World Bank President Ajay Banga said it would host a "multi-partner trust fund to finance technical assistance". TIMELY The push comes at a timely moment for the debt swap market amid concerns that crucial U.S. backing for such deals - particularly those with a climate or nature focus - could largely dry up under President Donald Trump. Still, demand for broader development swaps remains strong, Inter–American Development Bank President Ilan Goldfajn said at a news conference in Seville on Tuesday. The IDB has backed five of the last nine major debt-for-nature swaps, many of which were done alongside the United States' International Development Finance Corporation. "We are getting demand for debt for education, debt for health," Goldfajn said. "Those are things that have been under construction. Let's see how they evolve." In an effort to spur wider adoption of debt swaps, a set of conservation groups, investors, development bankers and lawyers who have spearheaded the growth of the nature-swap market also published a best-practice guide for such deals. It included guidance on who should use debt swaps, and how. Melissa Garvey, a director at the Nature Conservancy, which was one of the lead contributors to the how-to-guide, said debt swaps were now a "proven model to finance conservation at scale." REUTERS
