Author: Paul McKinsley

Allianz today announced that it has partnered with The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) to establish a USD 2.3 billion investment platform to build a diversified core portfolio of high-quality properties in the Asia Pacific region. The platform will be in the form of a new Singapore domiciled, closed-end fund called Allianz Real Estate Asia-Pacific Core I (AREAP Core I) which will boast an investment capacity of over USD 4.6 billion. NPS and Allianz group companies will be 50:50 investors whereas Allianz Real Estate will serve as the Investment Manager and General Partner of the venture. “This is a…

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AT&T announced that it is on track to meet its commitment to spend $3 billion with U.S. Black-owned suppliers by the end of this year, with the company now nearly 90 percent of the way there. The company’s AT&T Supplier Diversity team remains dedicated to making a significant economic impact in the Black business community, according to its announcement. Starting in 1968 working with the Chicago Urban League and the Chicago Economic Development Corporation, AT&T has sustained its commitment of spending with Black-owned businesses for nearly 52 years “Today, we have Black-owned businesses in many areas of our supply chain.…

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The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) rallied minutes before the closing bell Monday, with the Index up by 32.36 points and all shares gaining 22.35 points, led by Industrial and Property stocks. A total of 1.2 billion shares were exchanged on the trading floor, with total value hitting P7.33 billion. While the Index and the sectoral groups were in the green, except for holding firms, there were 113 declines against 87 advances. Meralco (PSE:MER) led the blue chips with a 5.05-per cent gain from last week’s trade. Meralco’s stock opened at P270 a share and hit a high of P278.4 until…

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NYSE-listed Target Corporation announced that it will permanently raise its starting wage for US workers to $15 per hour as part of a number of updates that the company is initiating. All US hourly full-time and part-time team members at stores, distribution centers and headquarters locations will be eligible for the $15 starting wage, which is more than 25% higher than the US industry average. Target set its 2020 goal of a $15 starting wage in September 2017, and over the last three years has increased wages from a starting wage of $11. The last starting-wage increase was in June…

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ASX-listed eSense-Lab Limited announced that it has entered into a binding joint venture agreement with Sassey Pty Ltd, owner of Wise Winery, to produce and sell terpenes-infused sanitiser products. Wise Winery is a family-owned wine company based in Eagle Bay in the northern Margaret River Wine region. It recenly started producing surface and hand sanitiser products using ethanol distelled from its own Chardonnay wine at its Eagle Bay distillery. Under the joint venture agreement, Wise will broaden its sanitiser product offering to include ethanol sanitisers infused with eSense’s unique terpenes. eSense will provide its proprietary terpene mixes to the JV,…

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Respiri Limited, an ASX-listed eHealth SaaS company supporting respiratory health management, announced its signing of a service agreement with The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the national body representing over 5,700 community pharmacies across the country. The two-year agreement with Guild Learning and Development (GuildEd), the learning destination for all pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and interns Australia-wide, will see the joint development of a Guild-accredited Continuing Professional Development online training course for pharmacists on optimising asthma patient management, in particular children, including the role of devices in detecting wheeze. This education program is expected to enhance and support the capability of pharmacists…

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Firmenich International, the world’s largest privately-owned perfume and taste company, has announced its acquisition of Les Dérivés Résiniques et Terpéniques (DRT). Founded in 1932, DRT is a developer and supplier of renewable and naturally-derived ingredients. It specialises in the development of gum raisin and turpentine extracted from pine risen. DRT’s head office is located in Dax, France and sells its products around the world. “We are delighted to have closed this acquisition which will give us a significant competitive advantage moving forward,” said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO, Firmenich. “This acquisition affirms our commitment to becoming a global leader in renewable ingredients…

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(BUSINESSNEWSASIA) – AIA Group Limited announced that Jayne Plunkett will join AIA as Group Chief Risk Officer with effect from 1 November 2019. Jayne will be a member of the Group Executive Committee and will report to Ng Keng Hooi, Group Chief Executive and President. Jayne joins AIA Group from Swiss Re where she was Chief Executive Officer Reinsurance Asia, Regional President Asia and member of the Group Executive Committee, responsible for Swiss Re’s businesses across Asia. Ng Keng Hooi said, “Jayne is a widely-respected insurance professional across Asia’s insurance sector with a proven track record of success. I know…

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Stocks of Western Areas Ltd (ASX:WSA), one of Australia’s top nickel producer, and Mantra Group Ltd (ASX:MTR), an accommodation operator in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, ended today’s trading at the Australian Securities Exchange as top gainers. Western Areas Ltd (ASX:WSA)’s stock gained 4.17% to end the trading day at $2.50 a share, or $0.10 more from yesterday’s trading. Western Areas made no market-moving disclosure today. Mantra Group Ltd (ASX:MTR) gained 4.15% to end the day at $3.135 a share. A total of 2.2 million Mantra Group shares exchanged hands in today’s trading. Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) was up 3.81%…

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Workers in Shanghai will get a raise in their monthly minimum wage as authorities said the 200 yuan (US$32.24) increase will take effect starting 1 April. The increase means regular workers in Shanghai will receive monthly minimum wage of 2,020 yuan (US$325.66) from 1,820 yuan, a local newspaper reported. Those who are working part-time or less than four hours a day and not more than 24 hours a week for a single employer will see their hourly minimum wage going up from 17 yuan (US$2.74) to 18 yuan (US$2.90). The 200 yuan monthly wage hike will be applicable to full-time…

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Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has denied reports that Japan is joining the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as reported by major media outlets on Tuesday. The reports quoted Japan’s ambassador to Beijing, Masato Kitera, as saying that Japan is likely to join the AIIB in the coming months. Suga, however, said the ambassador had not made any such comment and Japan’s position not to join the AIIB had not changed. “I have been informed that it is not true that Ambassador Kitera made such remarks forecasting (Japan’s) participation,” Suga told a news conference. Suga said Japan remains…

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Australia’s No. 1 investment bank, Macquarie Group Ltd, reportedly announced plans to cut about 50 percent of its total investment banking jobs in Asia, sources said. A Bloomberg report said Macquarie Group also announced the exit of its advisory and capital markets units head, Jeremy Wernert, as soon as possible for a still undisclosed reason. Wernert assumed the position of head of Macquarie, the group’s investment-banking unit, less than a year ago. He is reportedly leaving the bank immediately. Sources said Macquarie will cut about 80 to 90 jobs at its investment banking businesses in Asia, affecting employees in Hong…

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Great American Insurance Group announced the appointment of seasoned insurance professional Chee Keng Koon as its Singapore branch head, along with former QBE executive Vanessa Teo as head of the finance and operations team. The announcement was made after Great American Insurance is preparing to open an office in Singapore this summer following a preliminary approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The Ohio-based commercial specialty insurer will focus on onshore and offshore business in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Great American Insurance Group’s entry into Singapore will allow the firm to become a part of Singapore’s effort to establish itself…

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