Singapore

• This report aims to examine the rationale and structure of the transformative deal in February 2023 when Keppel spun out its Offshore and Marine (“O&M”) division.

• This AssetCo transaction was selected because (1) The substantial size, at S$4.4bn, was equivalent to 14% of Keppel’s assets or 37% of its shareholder equity as of Dec 2022.

• (2) Highly complex transaction with extremely generous financing terms granted by Keppel, which received no cash for selling legacy rigs at its carrying cost.

• Farmer body asks farmers not to go for ‘summer tapping’
• Rubber Board exhorts farmers to up tapping to discourage imports
• Farmers allege Rubber Board catering to interests of tire-makers

• Top 5 best performing S-REITs in 2024 Name Stock Code Market Cap S$M 2024 Insti Net Inflow S$M Dividend Yield % PB Ratio The five best performing S-REITs in 2024 in SGD terms were Frasers Hospitality Trust (+24.3 per cent total returns), Keppel DC REIT (+20.6 per cent), Stoneweg European REIT (+20.2 per cent), Elite UK REIT (+19.0 per cent), and Manulife US REIT (+15.3 per cent).

• ADD on NBR imports from Japan, South Korea extended to five years
• Chinese companies beef up domestic carbon black production
• ZC Rubber unveils US$259 million and Longxing US$405 million projects

• Singapore-based Eureka Robotics has raised US$10.5 million in Series A financing.
• B Capital spearheaded the round. New investors Airbus Ventures, Maruka Corporation, and G. K. Goh Ventures participated along with existing investors UTEC and ATEQ.
• Eureka Robotics was founded in 2018 to enable factories worldwide to automate dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks. The company leverages its proprietary technologies, which include high-accuracy calibration, computer vision, motion planning, and force control.

• Digital finance platform Funding Societies | Modalku (Funding Societies) today announced that it has raised US$25 million in equity investment from Japan’s sovereign wealth fund Cool Japan Fund (CJF), marking the fund’s first investment into a fintech company in Southeast Asia (SEA).
• The company said it will funnel the investment to deepen its core business in SME financing across its five markets (Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam) whilst further expanding its payments business since embarking on it in 2022.
• In a press statement, Funding Societies said it will focus on helping businesses get paid faster through innovative receivables and financing solutions. It will also leverage technology and AI to digitise and automate lending origination processes.

• Singapore-based flexible living platform Cove has announced a US$4.5 million funding round from existing investors, including Eurazeo and Keppel, along with Manchharam.
• The capital will fuel the startup’s regional expansion and transition to an asset acquisition model. This strategic shift will allow it to design and develop properties specifically tailored to the needs of its target market: young professionals and students.
• Cove’s expansion into South Korea and Japan is already underway, and the company has formed strategic joint ventures in both markets.

• Omni HR, a SaaS-based employee management startup based in Singapore, has closed US$7.4 million in funding.
• The round was led by Picus Capital, with participation from Alpha JWC Ventures, January Capital, and Ratio Ventures.
• This deal brought the startup’s total funding raised to date to US$9.8 million.

• CEAT buys Off-Highway Tires (OHT) business and Camso brand for US$225 million
• CEAT to access 40 global OEMs and a vast network of OHT distributors
• Michelin expands Chennai TBR tire plant, spending US$66 million

17LIVE is a leading pure-play live streaming platform in Asia with key markets in Japan and Taiwan. Its business lines include Liver live streaming, V-Liver live streaming and other businesses such as in-app games and live commerce. 17LIVE is accessible globally and has fostered a diverse live streaming ecosystem with a loyal and engaged user community, as well as a deep pool of live streamers.

The Smartkarma team spoke to 17Live’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Jiang Honghui, in an exclusive corporate webinar. Honghui sheds light on the company’s impressive journey and future growth outlook within the vibrant live streaming space.

You can view the webinar via the link below. 

• Possibility of short peak can result in short-lived shortage  
• Declining Chinese TSR inventory can lend demand support  
• Uncertainty around policies weighs upon the market confidence

• Grab Holdings has expressed excitement for 2025, as it harvests the investments it has made in its laddered approach to new product offerings from Saver to Grab Unlimited in 2024. 
• Having grown transacting users in 2024 through its Saver offering, Grab will focus on growing its premium offers in 2025. Groceries should outperform along with its offline dining initiatives. 
• Grab will focus on lending growth at its DigiBanks in Malaysia, and Singapore in 2025 and will double down on its advertising offerings. Grab will book a 2025 net profit.

• Gloves main exports of rubber-based products at RM1.5 billion
• A total of 7,652 paid employees recorded in Oct, down 23.6% YoY
• Malaysian Sustainable Natural Rubber (MSNR) initiative launched

• On the 5th December, Gordan Tang (& his wife Celine) acquired 2.14% in Suntec REIT (SUN SP), lifting their stake to 31.45% from 29.31%, triggering a MGO.
• This is appears to be a technical Offer. The Offer price is S$1.16/share against a S$1.17/share undisturbed price. Timing, however, IS curious after ESR Group (1821 HK)‘s recent Offer.
• The Offer Doc is now out and shareholders can tender. At S$1.18/share as I type, zero tendering should occur. The Offer closes on the 20 January, unless extended.

• 40-45% of production forest areas in Vietnam certified for sustainable  management 
• VRG sold over 800 tons EUDR rubber netting an additional US$250/ton
• Member firms abroad readying to sign contracts on EUDR rubber

• Operators high on quantum jump in exports to Malaysia
• VRA Secretary-General says Vietnam keen on fully meeting EUDR
• Major challenge variety of sources including imports and mixing