Free ride on Singapore national day 2015

SINGAPORE — There’ll be free bus and train rides all day this National Day (August 9).

In a move to encourage everyone to attend celebrations of the Republic’s 50th year of independence, public transport operators, SBS Transit and SMRT Corporation, have jointly announced that they will be offering free travel on board all buses and trains.

Commuters in Singapore will not have to tap in or out with their fare cards when they board buses. Fare gantries at all MRT stations will also be left open.

Free travel will start from the first service bus or train until the end of operation.

Stock Portfolio review as at November 2015

Sembcorp marine            3000 shares

Rickmers maritime          50000 shares

Cache logistic trust           1000 shares

Cambridge industrial trust 5000 shares

UMS                               10000 shares

Kep Infra trust                 12000 shares

Dividends collected from Jan to April 2015

Cache logistic trust        21.46SGD

Cambridge ind trust       62.60SGD

Rickmers maritime       398.94SGD

Total                            483.30SGD

Dividends collected in May 2015

Cache logistic trust        21.46SGD

Kep Infra  trust              386.00SGD

Sembcorp marine         240.00SGD

UMS                             210.00SGD

Total                              857.46SGD                  

Dividends collected in June 2015

Cambridge Ind trust       61.25SGD

Rickmers maritime        380.00SGD

Total                              441.25SGD

Amount from fairprice in June

Rebate from fairprice purchases   

(5 percent on Spending 2810.29SGD)              

                                     140.51SGD

Dividends from fairprice 20 shares 

                                        1.50SGD

Total                              142.01SGD

Dividends collected in July 2015

UMS                              100.00SGD

Dividends to be collected in Aug

Cache                             21.40SGD

Sembcorp Marine          120.00SGD

Dividends to be collected in Sep

Cambridge                      62.55SGD

       

Dividends to be collected in Oct

UMS.                            100.00SGD

Rickmers.                      420.00SGD

Dividends to be collected in Nov

Sold all rickmers shares in Nov

Kep Infra Trust.             111.60SGD

Cache.                            21.40SGD

Dividends to be collected in Dec

Cambridge.                     60.20SGD

UMS.                             100.00SGD

DBS, Manulife ink US$1.2 billion regional distribution deal POSTED: 08 Apr 2015 19:44

Besides the initial payment of US$1.2 billion, Manulife will also make ongoing, variable payments to DBS "based on the success of the partnership", the two firms said in a joint statement.

The bancassurance model - which involves selling insurance through banks as opposed to the traditional agency - is lucrative for commercial banks in Asia because global insurers are willing to pay hefty fees for access to lenders' branch networks.

According to Reuters, AIA Group struck a 15-year exclusive deal with Citibank in Asia in 2013, for which AIA made a US$800 million upfront payment. UK insurer Prudential also struck an agreement last year with Standard Chartered, agreeing to pay US$1.25 billion in fees to extend its current agreement for 15 years.

DBS CEO Piyush Gupta said: “Bancassurance is a key focus for DBS and an important part of our overall customer value proposition."

Manulife is the world's sixth-largest life insurer with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States, where it operates under the John Hancock name. The company first established a presence in Singapore in 1898 while its Hong Kong operations began in 1897. Assets under management by Manulife and its subsidiaries were approximately C$691 billion (S$753 billion) as at Dec 31, 2014.

Singapore Savings Bonds

The Savings Bonds will also have a maximum term of 10 years, which will allow individuals to save for the long term and receive higher long-term interest rates.

Bond-holders can also choose to get their money back at any time, with no penalty, ensuring that individual investors do not have to decide upfront how long they wish to invest.

The bonds, which can only be bought by individuals, will be sold in denominations of $500, with a set limit to maximise participation.

MAS said that more information on how to apply for the Savings Bonds will be provided closer to the launch date.

- See more at: http://business.asiaone.com/news/new-singapore-savings-bonds-pay-higher-interest-over-time#sthash.oHV67Ob7.dpuf

Kraft and Heinz will merge

Kraft Foods Group Inc, the maker of Velveeta cheese, will merge with ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co, owned by 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, to form North America's third-largest food and beverage company.

Kraft shareholders will get one share in the combined company, to be called the Kraft Heinz Co, and a special cash dividend of $16.50 for every share held.

Heinz shareholders will own 51 percent of the combined company and Kraft shareholders the rest.

John little and Marks and Spencer scaled down

马莎百货将在本月底（29日）撤出驻扎多年的乌节路先得坊（The Centrepoint）购物中心；John Little将在下月26日和第四季先后关闭滨海广场（Marina Square）和中峇鲁广场（Tiong Bahru Plaza）的店面。

No need to top up medisave minimum sum from year 2016 onwards

The Medisave Minimum Sum requirement will be scrapped from next year, so people will no longer need to top up their accounts to this amount - which now stands at $43,500 - before they can withdraw their Central Provident Fund (CPF) monies at the age of 55.