
In today’s briefing:
- United Overseas Insurance: The Samsung Family of Singapore?
- Riverstone & Ho Bee Land Chairs Make Fresh Share Purchases
- Malaysia’s Rubber Sector In Flux As Q1 2025 Draws To A Close

United Overseas Insurance: The Samsung Family of Singapore?
- UOI received much media attention when a minority shareholder group attempted to push the company to distribute its Haw Par shares and appoint a financial advisor to unlock shareholder value.
- Although the Board dismissed the request due to the failure to meet statutory requirements, the ownership structure between UOI, UOB, Haw Par, and Wee family remains a valid concern.
- UOI has underperformed the broader market over the past 5 years; the key to management is how it can grow from a mid-sized local insurer to a leading regional one.
Riverstone & Ho Bee Land Chairs Make Fresh Share Purchases
- Institutions were net sellers of Singapore stocks with a net outflow of S$65 million, totaling S$1.73 billion for 2025.
- Financial Services and REITs saw the highest net institutional outflow, while Industrials and Real Estate (Ex-REITs) had inflow.
- Share buybacks totaled S$67.6 million, with significant transactions by Hongkong Land and ESR-REIT.
Malaysia’s Rubber Sector In Flux As Q1 2025 Draws To A Close
- NR production plummets; export and import too down
- Ivory Coast once again pips Thailand in imports
- Nitrile gloves posing greater threat to latex gloves