Thursday 28 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on Dividends for March

I will be receiving dividends in March from Cityspring (82), Transpac (192), HPH (260), rickmers (74.40). My 15K UOB life maxi dollars of 5 years term will be maturing on 13March and estimated interest earned should be 1255 (as at letter received in Feb). Well done to myself..

Monday 25 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on Singapore Budget 2013

Singapore Budget Speech 2013 roundup

Yahoo! Newsroom – 2 hours 26 minutes ago
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam bared Monday a government budget for the next fiscal year starting April that he said aimed to ensure Singapore could achieve quality yet inclusive growth.

In a nearly two-hour speech, he detailed plans to make the tax system more progressive and further increase subsidies for lower-income and elderly workers in order to help improve social mobility.

He also disclosed measures to mitigate the country's reliance on foreign labour and to improve productivity.

Also, for this current fiscal year, he projected that government would post a surplus of $2.4 billion equivalent to 0.7 per cent of GDP.

Here are the main highlights:

Personal income tax rebate announced for year assessment 2013, meaning income earned 2012.

Government will extend a rebate of 30 per cent subject to a cap of $1,500 to those below 60. Those aged 60 or above will receive a rebate of 50 per cent.

This year, to help household with cost of living, government will provide an extra GST voucher on top of the permanent GST voucher.

Health subsidies to be boosted.

Medifund will be increased by $1 billion to $4 billion and Eldercare to go up by a quarter million to $3 billion.

Government will expand senior mobility fund to cover a much wider range of devices such as hearing aids.

Cars with an open market value of above $50,000 will have an ARF of 180 per cent.

Property tax changes announced.

"I will make the tax schedule for property tax more progressive," he said.

Band for zero property tax will be widened. Property tax for high-end investment residential properties will be raised.

Changes to CPF. Employer contribution rate will be restored fully.

He bares enhancements to Workfare scheme.

WIS payments will be raised. Workers will receive 40 per cent of WIS in cash as compared to 29 per cent.

Workfare will now cover workers earning up to $1,900 from $1,700 ceiling. This will benefit 480,000 workers or 30 per cent of the workforce.

An additional $72 million will be put into Opportunity Fund for students from less advantaged backgrounds and will be extended to polytechnics. $300 million top-up to Edusave fund.

Government will more than double spending in pre-school sector to S$3 billion over next five years. It will expand capacity so pre-schools are closer to homes and bring more operators to the anchor operator scheme. Government will provide 16,000 additional places by 2017.

He talks about the need to address income inequality. He notes that older singaporeans make up 40 per cent of singapore workers in the lower income ladder.

Tobacco excise duties to be raised.

EDB will set aside $500 million for next five years to develop new frontiers in manufacturing.

Government will introduce a land productivity grant, which will be provided to companies that intensify land use or relocate some operations to immediate region.

It will also link up SMEs with research institutions to look into solutions that will give the SMEs a competitive advantage.

Productivity incentives will be provided to further boost training. Government will also launch an SME talent programme.

On road tax, commercial vehicles will get a 30 per cent rebate.

He bares a three-year co-funding package under the Wage Credit Scheme.
The government will co-fund 40 per cent of wage increases to Singaporeans with gross monthly wage up to S$4,000.

WCS payouts will be paid out to employers automatically and annually over three years. No application needed. The scheme will cost government $3.6bn over 3 years.

MOM will continue to tighten eligibility for Q1 pass holders.

Minimum S Pass qualifying monthly salary will be increased from $2k to $2.2k from 1 July 2013.

Dependency ratio ceilings will be cut.

DRC in services will be cut from 45 per cent to 40 per cent.

In construction, levy rates for less skilled Work Permit Holders in Construction Sector will increase by $150 between Jul 2013 and Jul 2015

He bares a new quality growth programme that will include:

Tightening of foreign worker policies through a targeted approach. All foreign worker levies will be increased 2014 and 2015.
Will introduce a special 3-year package to support companies.
Will help companies strengthen productivity through incentives.
Will develop capabilities to chart new frontiers in manufacturing and help companies seize opportunities in new growth industries in Asia.

The government can and will actively support all SMEs that are willing to upgrade. The restructuring of our economy must result in a dynamic and re-engergised SME sector, he said.

He says dependency ratio ceiling cuts will be made in sectors which are behind global productivity leaders. Levies will also be increased on industries most dependent on foreign workers.

"We will not increase levies for skilled workers. Most companies will not need to pay higher levies if they rely on skilled workers," he said.

Currently, foreign workforce makes up 33.6 per cent of Singapore's total work force.

Net inflow of 67,000 foreign workers in 2012, but most of the growth was in construction and the services sectors. In manufacturing there was in fact a slight decline, he said.

But in construction and retail, productivity is one-fifth below HK's.

He also cites greater strides in productivity. Three decades ago, he said Singapore's productivity level was 30 per cent of that of global leaders but now it is 70 per cent. It is now even greater than HK's.
He also bares greater investments for sports and culture.

Government will invest 30 per cent more in sports programmes over the next five years. The government will also create a fund to match investments for cultural programmes.

He announces enhancements to workfare.

Low wage worker will get a top up of his pay of 30%. This is in addition to what his employer will receive through new wage scheme that will encourage his employer to up the worker's pay.

Flexible working practices must be more important. We should also make it possible to give employees to be working from home or smart working centres near their homes. The government will help businesses in these efforts.

"If we do not do better in raising productivity... businesses and workers will be worse off.
We must help SMEs revitalise themselves," he says.

He notes that society is facing widening income disparity. "We must take further steps to temper inequality," he says. More must also be done to help seniors enter their retirement, he adds.
Our strategy for achieving higher quality of growth and an inclusive society are bound together, he says.

While fixing these problems, Singapore has to shift gears for an economy and society in transition.

He notes that there are pressing challenges on housing and transport.

The budget will introduce further measures to support our workers, especially lower-income workers.

Our budget for 2012 is expected to have a surplus. We expected S$1.3 billion but we now expect the higher surplus of S$3.9 billion due to higher revenues from stamp duties.

He maintains that Singapore's economic growth will likely range between 1 per cent to 3 per cent this year.

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Thursday 21 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on Stock Mind Games Contel Corp contra achievement

I have been following Stock Mind Games blog daily. I am amazed by the earnings he and his students made. Well done Ronald K!

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Just received the DBS Vickers contra statement for my trades. Made about $24155.62. Gonna donate some to charity. Congrats to all students. More to come!!

Ronald K - Market Psychologist - The Big Speculator
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Dividend Chaser on Macquarie winding down company

Macquarie International Infrastructure Fund (MIIF) said on Feb 21 it plans to amend the management fee structure to maximise divestment proceeds to shareholders as it prepares to sell its assets and wind down the company.

MIIF said it has proposed to MIMAL, its manager, to reduce the base fee, which would lower the company’s operating expenses and encourage MIMAL to pursue the divestments. MIIF also proposed establishing a success fee linked to the successful divestment of its businesses, which rewards outcomes that maximise divestment proceeds to shareholders.

The proposed amendments will require MIIF shareholders’ approval at its March 8 AGM.



Dividend Chaser on Singapore New Coins

SINGAPORE: Singapore will have a whole new set of coins in circulation by the middle of this year.

The current Second Series coins were first introduced in 1985 and featured local plants and flowers, depicting Singapore as a garden city.

But they'll soon make way for the Third Series featuring five of Singapore's national icons and landmarks - the Merlion, Port of Singapore, Changi Airport, Public Housing and the Esplanade.

For example, HDB flats - home to more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans - will be featured on the 10-cent coin... and the Esplanade on the 5-cent coin.

"Coins reflect the events, persons or symbols significant to a nation. The new series coins depict local icons and landmarks that are familiar to Singaporeans and reflect various aspects of Singapore's progress as a nation," said Ravi Menon, Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Each coin denomination has an electro-magnetic signature, which allows vending machines to detect counterfeit and foreign coins.

The one-dollar coin contains additional security features such as its bi-metallic composition and laser mark micro-engraving in the shape of Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim.

The new coins will have larger denomination numerals for easy identification and features to facilitate identification by the visually-impaired.

The coins are progressively sized by denomination, with the 5-cent coin being the smallest and one-dollar coin being the largest.

Mrs Foo-Yap Siew Hong, Assistant Managing Director of MAS, said, "The Second Series coins have been in use for more than 25 years. There will be a period of adjustment as we all get comfortable with the new coins. MAS will continue to work closely with our stakeholders to smoothen the transition."

MAS says it has been working with public transport operators to ensure that coin-operated machines at MRT/LRT stations are calibrated to accept both the current and new series coins before the launch.

It has also been working with businesses with coin-operated facilities such as vending machine operators and supermarkets to prepare them for the launch.

And to ensure a smooth transition, the current series will continue to be legal tender, as they are phased out over the next four years.

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on Transpac giving dividends

Transpac financial results is out. There will be 0.096 dividends given for year ended 31Dec2012. The share price dropped to as low as 1.67 on 22Feb from a previous high of 1.805 and rebounced to 1.745 on the same day. The share price went back to 1.805 on 23Feb.

Dividend Chaser on retirement concerns in Singapore

The Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore may boast of the highest percentage of millionaires in the world, but retiring in this wealthy financial hub is becoming even more difficult for the common man.

According to a latest study by HSBC, the citizens of this country, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, face the grim prospect of running out of their savings almost halfway through retirement as the high cost of living and increased life expectancy eats into their nest egg.
Singapore has gradually moved up human resources firm Mercer's global rankings of the world's most expensive cities, moving to sixth place in 2012 from eighth in 2011 and eleventh in 2010.

"There is cause for concern from the finding that the retirement savings of people in Singapore will run out after nine years, which is about the time they are entering into frail retirement and a stage of their lives when medical costs and other elderly care expenses are expected to rise," Paul Arrowsmith, head of retail banking and wealth management, HSBC Singapore, said in the report released on Wednesday.

"People are living longer, through tougher economic times, and expectations about their standard of living in retirement have risen," Arrowsmith added.

More than half of the 1,000 Singaporeans interviewed for the survey said that either they were not adequately prepared or not prepared at all for retirement as they expected to continue working beyond the age of 65 to be able to afford their desired lifestyle.

One also needs more money to fund one's retirement in Singapore. According to the study, the annual household income required to lead a "comfortable" retired life in Singapore is the third highest among Asia's major economies, behind Australia and Hong Kong, at $48,773. This figure is 68 percent higher than what was needed in 2011, the survey, which has been running for eight years, found.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust IPO

Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust IPO–Good Buy?
Posted by DrizztFebruary 17, 2013

One of the biggest IPO in recent times is coming soon in Mapletree’s Greater China Commerical Trust (MGCCT)
The prospectus is out.

A total of 776 mil units are on offer, with 511 mil designated to cornerstone investors and 265 mil for the public.
Here is a rough time table (not confirm yet)

Greater China
The mandate of this trust is to invest in income producing real estate in Greater China. This would include:
Hong Kong
Beijing – 1st tier city
Shanghai – 1st tier city
Guangzhou – 1st tier city
Shenzhen – 1st tier city
Chengdu – 2nd tier city
Chongqing – 2nd tier city
Foshan – 2nd tier city
Hangzhou – 2nd tier city
Nanjing – 2nd tier city
Suzhou – 2nd tier city
Tianjin – 2nd tier city
Wuhan – 2nd tier city
Xi-an – 2nd tier city
That does provide a large catchment area for parent Mapletree to dump assets in the future.
Festival Walk and Gateway Plaza

The IPO injects 2 premier properties into the trust.
Festival Walk (又一城), a premier retail and lifestyle destination, comprising a seven-storey territorial retail mall with a four-storey office component on top of the mall, as well as three floors of underground car parks. It is located in Kowloon Tong, an upscale residential area in Hong Kong, and is directly linked to the Kowloon Tong MTR station, which is the interchange for MTR’s local underground metro line (Kwun Tong Line) and the overland railway linking Hong Kong directly to the Shenzhen border (East Rail Line).
Gateway Plaza (佳程廣場), a premier Grade A office building consisting of two 25-storey towers connected by a three-storey atrium, as well as three underground floors. It is located in the Chaoyang district, at the junction of East Third Ring Road and Airport Expressway, and is within the traditional commercial and office area known as the Lufthansa Area in Beijing,

Monday 18 February 2013

Dividend Chaser bought STXOSV

I bought STXOSV at 1.275. This is at a much higher price than the price offered by Italian at 1.22.

Here is some feedback from ShareJunction.

****************************************************

When the GO is lapsed, there are 2 scenario:

1) If the floating share is more than 10% , the shares will continue listing and it won't affect you at all

2) If the floating share is less than 10%, you will have a second chance to sell the shares back to the Italian at $1.22.



Fyi, scenario 1 is the most likely case judging from the current share price (> $1.22).
=============================

satanist2001 ( Date: 18-Feb-2013 10:16) Posted:

Hi all,

i have a question. i do have some stocks on hand. if i do not accept the italian offer and this lapse through the deadline of march.

if its a GO, will my stocks be worthless? or will the italians compulsory get it from me at 1.22?





Dividend Chaser saw article on Singapore Protest

Singapore’s biggest political protest since allowing these events at a downtown park in 2000 may signal growing difficulty by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s government to push policies without broader support.

Thousands of protesters gathered on Feb. 16 at Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park at the edge of the city’s financial district in the rain to oppose the government’s plan to raise the population through immigration. Lawmakers from Lee’s party, which has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965, endorsed a white paper earlier this month that outlined proposals to allow more foreigners through 2030 to boost the workforce.

“It’s a big red flag and they cannot go on with business as usual, with their old way of doing things of letting it blow over and letting emotions run their course,” said Terence Lee, who teaches politics at National University of Singapore. “This is not an emotional hump. I won’t be surprised if significant changes happen at the ballot box in 2016.”

The rally increases pressure on the government to slow an influx of immigrants that has been blamed for infrastructure strains, record-high housing and transport costs and competition for jobs. Singapore’s population has jumped by more than 1.1 million since mid-2004 to 5.3 million and may reach 6.9 million by 2030, based on the proposal. That stoked social tensions and public discontent that is weakening support for Lee’s People’s Action Party.

‘WORK HARDER’
“They will have to work harder at seeking buy-in rather than putting policies across as imperative,” said Eugene Tan, assistant law professor at Singapore Management University and a nominated member of Parliament, who said the protest is the biggest in recent memory. “Gone are the old days where the government believes what is the right thing to do and they don’t care what the public thinks and do what is right. Doing what is right is no longer enough.”

Outdoor protests are banned in Singapore as authorities say the laws help maintain social stability in a country that was wracked by communal violence between ethnic Malays and Chinese in the 1960s. Since easing the restriction more than a decade ago, large-scale protests at the park have centered on issues such as losses from mini-bonds to the city’s worst subway breakdown, rather than politics.

‘NOT HERDED’
Organizer Gilbert Goh, who promoted the event mainly through Facebook, estimated 4,000 people joined the demonstration at the 0.94-hectare (2.3-acre) park that served as a venue for political rallies in the 1950s and 1960s. They sang patriotic songs and held signs saying “we want to be heard, not herded,” and “waiting for 2016,” when the next general election is due.

The turnout, which he earlier estimated at as many as 5,000 two days ago, made it the biggest protest on a political issue since independence, Goh, who was an opposition party member, said in an interview yesterday.

Speakers at the protest included two former presidential candidates, ordinary citizens and members from opposition parties. Vincent Wijeysingha, who ran as a candidate from the Singapore Democratic Party in the 2011 elections, said “we worry for the soul of our country.”

Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, who created the free speech area during his tenure, said he is “pleased” Singaporeans are debating the population issue.

‘SPEAKERS’ RHETORIC’
“I am happy that Speakers’ Corner is serving its purpose,” the former leader said in a Facebook posting. “Cannot say that I think much of speakers’ rhetoric. Too political, too one-sided, appealing to emotions only and not shedding light on important issues.”

The Workers’ Party, the only opposition group with elected members in Parliament, said on its website the plan to spur economic growth through immigration isn’t sustainable.

“A 6.9 million population won’t be good for Singaporeans,” said David Tan, a 48-year-old who owns a garment textile business and attended the protest. “We have 5.3 million people and we can hardly cope. Even if the government can take care of infrastructure, it won’t help much in terms of quality of living.”

There may be as many as 6 million people in Singapore by 2020, and the government will boost infrastructure to accommodate a further increase in the following decade, according to the white paper published last month.

Dividend Chaser saw Lian Beng secured 117m contract

Lian Beng construction group said it has secured a $117 million contract for the construction of Skies Miltonia, a condominium development of TG Master, through the group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Lian Beng Construction (1988).

The project, located at the junction of Yishun Avenue 1 and Miltonia Close, involves the construction of eight 13-storey residential blocks with penthouse and one 3-storey residential block, totalling 420 units, as well as basement car park, swimming pool, communal facilities and shops.

The new contract brings the group’s order book to about $664 million as at 18 February 2013.

The construction of Skies Miltonia is due to commence in March 2013 and will take about 33 months to complete.

Friday 15 February 2013

Dividend Chaser on CitySpring

CitySpring XD is on 18Feb. I was queuing at 0.47 these days to sell it but was unsuccessful. Cityspring with dividend yield of 7%+ is good compared to banks very low interest.

Monday 11 February 2013

Dividend Chaser sells Fragrance

I sold Fragrance last week before Chinese New Year. This stock is not progressing well as I expected and the dividends declared is much lower than previous year quarter.