BusyBodyQueen

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Schools in Singapore








Schools in Singapore will close on Friday (Sept 25) due to the worsening haze conditions.
The 3-hour PSI level had crossed the hazardous markoft 316 at 9pm, while the 24-hour PSI reading for Singapore was between 219-270.








USA Manufacturing Sector









Growth in the US manufacturing sector showed no month-over-month change during September, staying at August's sluggish pace which was the weakest in almost two years, according to an industry report released on Wednesday.








USA Crude Stocks







US crude stocks fell more than expected last week, while gasoline stocks increased and distillate inventories fell, data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Wednesday.








PIMCO








Pacific Investment Management Co says US inflation will pick up - at a time when the Treasury market is signaling the opposite.








Dough Culture Eastpoint




Eastpoint
#B1-13




Wednesday, September 23, 2015

COE 23 September 2015







Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices ended lower in the latest tender on Wednesday (Sept 23).  

Cat A COE for cars up to 1,600cc ended at $55,399, lower than the previous $57,089 in the Sep 9 bidding.

Cat B COE for cars above 1,600cc closed at $60,001, lower than the previous $62,101.

Cat C COE for goods vehicles and buses went down to $45,289 from the previous $48,601.

Cat D COE for motorcycles went up slightly to $6,158 from the previous $6,112.

Cat E Open COE went up slightly to $61,300 from the previous $61,010.









Dropbox









Cloud storage firm Dropbox, one of the best-known Silicon Valley startups, has no imminent plans for a public share offering, founder and chief executive Drew Houston said Monday.








Office 2016







Microsoft Corp said it began the worldwide roll-out of Office 2016, the latest addition to its cloud-based subscription service Office 365, on Tuesday.







4chan








The popular anonymous online forum 4chan on Monday announced that it has been bought by the founder of hit Japanese-language message board 2channel.








Breadtalk and Toastbox Eastpoint




Eastpoint
#01-01




Tuesday, September 22, 2015

USA Home Sales







US home resales fell more than expected in August, a cautionary sign for the US housing market which has recently looked on stronger footing.









Magnus








A subsidiary of Magnus Energy is forking out A$1 million (S$1 million) in cash to subscribe for 8 million shares in a new Australian oil and gas company.







European Central Bank









Greece's liabilities to the eurozone's bank payment system climbed last summer to highs not seen since 2012, as fears Greece would be forced out of the eurozone drove money out of the country, data from the European Central Bank showed on Monday.







Berrylite Eastpoint




Eastpoint
#01-06




Monday, September 21, 2015

Bengawan Solo White Sands







Basement
Next to Four Leaves









1MDB








The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into allegations of money-laundering at troubled Malaysian state fund 1MDB, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday citing an unidentified source.








Singapore Formula One Grand Prix







Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won an incident-packed Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday after world champion Lewis Hamilton retired early for the first time this season and a spectator set heart rates fluttering when he strolled on to the track.








New Cabinet in Australia







Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a new ministerial lineup, promoting women and younger lawmakers as he seeks to refresh the government by removing figures loyal to his predecessor, Tony Abbott.







Bakery Cuisine Eastpoint




Eastpoint
#01-K2




Sunday, September 20, 2015

German's Love Affair








Few things are so closely tied with Germany's national identity as the automobile. But changes in demographics, consumer behaviour and new technologies are beginning to steer that relationship, especially for young people, in a different direction, analysts say.







Volkswagen








Volkswagen AG's admission that it cheated to make nearly half a million diesel cars appear cleaner-burning than they are leaves the automaker facing billions in fines, its executives risking criminal charges and its US expansion plans in peril.







Mitsubishi Motors








Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp has started preparing for the closure of its sole US factory after failing to find a buyer for the high-cost auto plant, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday.







85 Redhill Teochew Fishball Noodle Eastpoint




Eastpoint
#B1-16




Saturday, September 19, 2015

Payrolls in USA








Payrolls rose in 32 US states in August and the jobless rate fell in 29, adding to evidence that the labour market is supporting growth in the world's largest economy.






BlackRock









The Federal Reserve will likely raise US interest rates at its December policy meeting after it decided to stick to its near-zero rate policy on Thursday, Rick Reider, a top bond manager at BlackRock said on Friday.







PIMCO








Treasuries advanced for a second day after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates near zero. Pacific Investment Management Co says policy makers may wait until next year before raising them.







Thai Boat Noodle




799 New Changi Road
Bedok Point
#02-32/34
Tel: 64459932

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm





Friday, September 18, 2015

OCBC White Sands








Level One
Entrance away from MRT Station
Outside of Gong Cha and the mall








Greece









European unease that Greece may falter on its bailout promises after elections on Sunday looks misplaced, at least initially, as its pressing need for money means that whoever wins is likely to toe the line.







Unemployment Benefits








The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in eight weeks, suggesting the labour market continued to strengthen despite the recent tightening in financial market conditions.







Breadtalk Compass Point




Sengkang
#B1-45/46
Tel: 63844434





Thursday, September 17, 2015

Koi Tampines








Outside MRT Station
Facing the field
In between Tampines Mall and POSB









H&M Tampines








Tampines Mall 
Level Two
Facing MRT Station








Google








Google will start testing a delivery service for fresh food and groceries in two US cities later this year, stepping up competition with online retailer Amazon.com and startup Instacart Inc.







Burberry








UK luxury-goods maker Burberry Group plc introduced a channel on Apple Inc's music service in the latest example of the fashion and technology industries coming together.






WatchOS 2








Apple Inc said it will not release watchOS 2, an updated operating system for the Apple Watch, on Wednesday as planned after it discovered a bug in development.






Breadtalk Sengkang




Compass Point
#B1-45/46
Tel: 63844434





Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Brent Crude Futures







Brent crude futures traded at their deepest discount to later-dated contracts since June, signaling the global oil surplus is growing more severe.






Auto Production







US manufacturing output contracted more than expected in August, dragged down by a sharp fall in auto production that could moderate economic growth in the third quarter.






Capital Spending









US chief executives are cautious about the economy's near-term prospects and expect to trim capital spending over the next six months, according to a survey by the Business Roundtable.







H and M Nex




23 Serangoon Central
#01-12




Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Polar Puffs and Cakes White Sands








Basement
Facing Watsons









Gelare White Sands








Basement
Behind escalator
In between NTUC and Watsons








The Old Malaya Cafe White Sands







Basement 
Behind the escalator
In between NTUC and Watsons









Airbus









Airbus Group said on Monday that production of its first US-built jetliner is several weeks behind schedule due to tooling problems, but that the company expects to deliver the plane on time to customer JetBlue Airways Corp in the second quarter of 2016.







Ya Kun Kaya Toast White Sands








Basement
In front of Watsons
Away from NTUC
Near the escalator








Long Winter









The commodities bear market may last for many years, with oil dropping as low as US$35 a barrel, as production cuts haven't been sufficient to wipe out the global surplus, according to Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.







Gold








Gold bulls can't shake the specter of higher US interest rates as Federal Reserve policy makers gather this week.
Prices are trading near a one-month low, investors are dumping holdings through exchange-traded products, and the metal's volatility is rebounding. A resilient US job market and dollar strength are adding to gold's woes, spurring money managers to cut their bets on a rally by more than a third.








H and M Serangoon




Nex
#01-12




Monday, September 14, 2015

Android Pay








Google's Android Pay rolled out on Thursday to US customers, becoming the latest system to allow consumers to tap their phones to pay for purchases at retailers.







Amazon







Amazon.com Inc surpassed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as the world's biggest retailer by market value after a surprise second-quarter profit sent the e-commerce company's stock into record territory.






Wal-Mart








After years of meeting demands for ever cheaper prices, many Wal-Mart Stores Inc suppliers are saying no to new margin-squeezing storage fees and a payment schedule that could delay for months how quickly some are paid.







Singapore Post




10 Eunos Road




Sunday, September 13, 2015

Bombardier








Bombardier Inc is refocusing the sales campaign for its tardy CSeries jet on established airlines, a shift away from reliance on lessors and small carriers.




Lufthansa







German pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit has proposed fresh talks with Lufthansa management over early retirement benefits, a day after a court ruled a strike was unlawful because the union had overstepped its mandate.







Earthquake in Tokyo







A moderate earthquake hit Tokyo early Saturday, waking residents and shaking buildings in the Japanese capital, but there was no immediate report of any damage.
The 5.4-magnitude quake, with its epicentre located in Tokyo Bay, struck at 5:49 am (2049 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey.






Paya Lebar Square




Is it interesting?




Saturday, September 12, 2015

Syrian Refugees






US President Barack Obama's administration on Tuesday said it was looking at further measures to address the Syrian refugee crisis, amid criticism the world's largest economy is not doing enough.







Migration Crisis








As they cope with the worst migration crisis in decades, European Union states want some flexibility from the European Commission when it reviews their draft budget plans - but the commission says the EU fiscal rules must be respected.
Since the beginning of the year, about 500,000 migrants have reached the European Union, fleeing war and poverty in their home countries.








Crude Oil








Crude oil fell on Friday after Goldman Sachs slashed its price forecast through next year, while global equity markets traded mixed on worries over the economic outlook and whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week.







ONEKm




How do you like it?




Friday, September 11, 2015

Consumer Comfort in USA








Consumer attitudes in the U.S. held steady last week as weaker perceptions about the buying climate offset more sanguine views of household balance sheets.







Wholesale Inventories in USA








US wholesale inventories fell in July for the first time in nearly two years, a tentative sign that businesses were starting to whittle down a huge stockpile of merchandise that could weigh on production in the second half of the year.







Job Growth in USA








The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, suggesting a moderation in job growth in August was an aberration.






Big Box




How do you like this shopping mall?




Thursday, September 10, 2015

Netflix







Internet television network Netflix announced today (Sep 9) that it will expand into Singapore in early 2016 as it moves to complete its global rollout by the end of 2016.






Economy in UK







Britain's economy probably slowed in the three months to the end of August, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research said on Wednesday.





Jobs in USA







Job openings in the US surged in July and the pace of hiring cooled.
The number of positions waiting to be filled jumped by 430,000 to 5.75 million from a revised 5.32 million in June, a Labor Department report showed Wednesday in Washington.





Bank of England








The Bank of England will raise interest rates early next year, likely following close on the heels of the Federal Reserve, according to a Reuters poll which concluded it should not be swayed by easing elsewhere in Europe.






True Blue Cuisine




47/49 Armenian Street
Tel: 64400449




Wednesday, September 9, 2015

COE 09 September 2015







Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices ended mixed in the latest tender on Wednesday (Sept 9).
Cat A COE for cars up to 1,600cc ended at $57,089, a slight dip from $57,498 two weeks ago, while Cat B COE for cars above 1,600cc closed at $62,101, down slightly from $62,140.
Cat E Open COE, which can be used for any vehicle type, went up by $9 to $61,010 from $61,001.
Cat C COE for goods vehicles and buses rose to $48,601 from $46,501, while Cat D COE for motorcycles shot up from $6,112 to reach a five-month high of $6,512.








Patinyabkk and Innitbangkok







Are they related?








Sukuk







International Finance Corp (IFC), a unit of the World Bank, has set initial price thoughts for a US$100 million sukuk, which may be price as early as Wednesday, a document from lead arrangers showed.







Water Deal in Malaysia








The long-drawn saga over the water restructuring deal between the Selangor and Federal governments has concluded after the final four agreements were signed between the two parties on Tuesday evening (Sept 8).






Small Business Confidence in USA









US small business confidence rose modestly in August, suggesting the economy continued to grow at a steady clip halfway through the third quarter.







D'Pastry




Block 3020 Ubi Ave 2
#01-121
Tel: 67427168




Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Politics








"Politics should be lived as a high form of charity."

~ Pope Francis 








Copper








Global copper markets could flip into a structural shortage within two to three years as demand from power stations makes it the first commodity to come out of a glut, Rio Tinto said.






Bakerzin Tampines








Century Square
Level One
At the entrance facing UOB,
away from Tampines Mall










Palm Oil Prices








Palm oil prices will remain flat until the end of the year, the Chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council said on Monday.







Emerging Currencies








Emerging-market currencies weakened and stocks fell to a two-week low as investors grappled with the prospect for higher US interest rates. Malaysia's ringgit tumbled to a 17-year low and a bomb attack in Turkey sent the lira plunging to a record.







Bakerzin Farrer Park




Connexion
#01-05/06/07




Monday, September 7, 2015

Migration Crisis








Deep divisions over how to cope with a flood of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia pose a threat to the European Union's values and global standing and may diminish its ability to act jointly to reform the euro zone and ease Greece's debt.







Italian Grand Prix








A red-hot Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix to take a 53-point lead in the Formula One championship on Sunday after Mercedes team mate and closest rival Nico Rosberg retired with his car in flames.







Migrants from Hungary








Thousands of migrants streamed into Germany on Sunday, many travelling through Austria from Hungary where they had been stranded against their will for days, while European Union governments argue over how to respond.








Bakerzin Jurong




Jurong Point
#03-58/59




Sunday, September 6, 2015

USA Jobless Rate









The Federal Reserve is expected to put off a long-planned interest rate increase this month despite another fall in the US jobless rate, placing concerns about China ahead of US data.







Emerging Equity and Currency Markets








Emerging equity and currency markets are in crisis, and bond markets in emerging economies appear poised for a fall, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) warned in a report on Friday.







Sales Tax in Japan








Japan may exempt some food and beverages from a planned increase in the sales tax, government sources said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government plans to raise the nationwide sales tax to 10 per cent in 2017 from 8 per cent currently to pay for rising healthcare costs, but many politicians worry about the impact on low-income households.






Difference Bakery Jurong




Blk 501 Jurong West St 51 
#01-285




Saturday, September 5, 2015

Elemental Technologies








Amazon on Thursday announced a deal to buy a startup that tailors traditional television broadcast for the vast array of Internet-linked devices used for streaming video.
Amazon did not disclose how much it is paying for Portland-based Elemental Technologies, but a report at tech news website The Information put the price at US$500 million.






Good Technology








Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd said it would acquire software security provider Good Technology for US$425 million in cash.