Singapore Morning News For April 18

Singapore home sales at four-year high
Singapore home sales surged to the highest monthly total for nearly four years in March, a month in which the government rolled back some property curbs in March following a three-year slide in prices.
— Bangkok Post

Procter & Gamble to invest US$100m in its first digital innovation centre in Singapore
PROCTER & Gamble (P&G) will invest more than US$100 million over the next five years to set up its first digital innovation centre outside the US in Singapore.
— The Business Times

$34m charm offensive to attract visitors to Singapore
With competition for the tourist dollar fiercer than ever, the Changi Airport Group (CAG), Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have renewed their agreement to join forces and woo travellers, in their biggest commitment to date.
— The Straits Times

Developers’ sales in Singapore soar to 1,780 private homes in March: URA data
DEVELOPERS in Singapore sold 1,780 private homes in March 2017, up nearly 82 per cent from the 979 units they moved in the previous month and also 111 per cent higher than the 843 units they sold in March 2016.
— The Business Times

March exports power ahead to score fifth straight monthly gain
SINGAPORE’S exports appear to be firmly back on the growth path, with non-oil domestic shipments powering to a fifth straight monthly rise in March.
— The Business Times

Singapore: Frasers acquires majority stake in Geneba Properties for $335m
Frasers Centrepoint Limited (FCL) today announced that it is acquiring an 86.56 per cent stake in Geneba Properties N.V. from Catalyst RE Coöperatief U.A. for EUR 315.9 million ($335.4 million).
— Deal Street Asia

KrisFlyer UOB accounts expected to bring in deposits of S$1.5b
UOB on Tuesday said it expects to bring in deposits of about S$1.5 billion in the next five years via a new savings account tied to miles redemption through Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) KrisFlyer programme.
— The Business Times

Singapore Visa Clampdown Seen As Big Worry For Indian IT
The tightening of the H-1B regime has grabbed a lot of spotlight but the visa issue should not be looked at as ‘be all and end all’ of the entire IT industry’s growth, Nasscom President, R Chandrashekhar said.
— NDTV Profit

Fund Focus: Cocoon Capital abandons traditional VC approach as it targets B2B startups
Angel investors – William Klippgen and Michael Blakey – who recently launched Cocoon Capital, a US$7 million venture fund in Singapore, believe they are uniquely positioned to fund early stage B2B companies in the region.
— Deal Street Asia

MAS partners UNCDF to drive financial inclusion in Asean
THE Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has sealed a partnership with a United Nations unit to encourage the development and access of digital financial services in Asean.
— The Business Times

Singapore shares open 0.63% up on Tuesday
SINGAPORE share prices rebounded on Tuesday morning as economic and geopolitical woes eased.
— The Business Times

Maritime Gallery reopens after nearly $2m overhaul
There is no need for a licence to captain a boat at the revamped Singapore Maritime Gallery.
— The New Paper

New 1,800-bed hospital to open in Woodlands from 2022
Work on Woodlands’ first hospital, slated to serve more than 935,000 residents in the north started, started on Tuesday (April 18) with Health Minister Gan Kim Yong officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony.
— Today Online

Younger Singaporeans choose YouTube over TV, says Google Singapore and Kantar TNS study
Singaporeans aged 16 to 34 prefer YouTube to TV according to a study by Google Singapore and Kantar TNS, with older demographics visiting YouTube at least once a month.
— The Drum

Billionaire Taizo Son ditches Japan to move to Singapore, plans $100m for SEA startups
Taizo Son, who built his fortune on hit smartphone game Puzzle & Dragons, has relocated to the city-state from Tokyo and plans to invest $100 million in Southeast Asia within five years.
— Deal Street Asia

After a 9-month extended deployment to Singapore, LCS Crew 204 is back home
The littoral combat ship program’s Crew 204, stuck in Singapore for months, is back with their families now after being detached last week.
— Navy Times

Artificial intelligence, robotics to be part of patient care at new Woodlands hospital
The Woodlands Health Campus (WHC), the first hospital in Woodlands, is expected to use the widespread adoption of technology to improve the patient care experience.
— Channel NewsAsia

Demand for Malaysian durians in China may mean fewer, costlier fruit for Singapore
Durian lovers here may have to fork out more to get their hands on the king of fruit, with Singapore sellers reporting that Malaysian farmers are exporting more of their harvest to China and Chinese tourists buying the fruit at the Malaysians farms they visit.
— Channel NewsAsia

Feature photo Jason Goh
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Singapore Morning News For April 18 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on April 18, 2017
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Stella-maris Ewudolu

Journalist at AEC News Today

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005.

Between November 2010 and February 2012 she was a staff writer at Daylight Online, Nigeria writing on health, fashion, and relationships. From 2010 – 2017 she worked as a freelance screen writer for ‘Nollywood’, Nigeria.

She joined AEC News Today in December 2016.