logo
Singapore's OCBC flags tariff headwinds as Q2 profit falls

Singapore's OCBC flags tariff headwinds as Q2 profit falls

Nikkei Asia01-08-2025
OCBC CEO Helen Wong, who is retiring at the end of the year, says the Trump tariffs are having an impact on the Singapore-based lender. © Reuters
DYLAN LOH
SINGAPORE -- Singapore's Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. (OCBC) on Friday flagged 'continued headwinds from tariffs and geopolitical tensions,' as the lender reported a 7% year-on-year decline in net profit in the second quarter.
OCBC, one of the biggest banks by assets in Southeast Asia, logged a net profit of 1.82 billion Singapore dollars ($1.4 billion) for the April to June quarter, down from SG$1.9 billion in the same period last year.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT plan at about $4.60 in India to chase growth
OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT plan at about $4.60 in India to chase growth

Nikkei Asia

time35 minutes ago

  • Nikkei Asia

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT plan at about $4.60 in India to chase growth

India is OpenAI's second-largest market by user base after America. © Reuters August 19, 2025 13:35 JST (Reuters) -- ChatGPT maker OpenAI on Tuesday launched ChatGPT Go, a new India-only subscription plan priced at 399 rupees ($4.57) per month, its most affordable offering yet, as the company looks to deepen its presence in its second-largest market. Global companies often offer cheaper subscription plans for India's price-sensitive market, targeting the nearly 1 billion internet users in the world's most populous nation. The plan allows users to send up to 10 times more messages and generate 10 times more images compared to the free version, while also offering faster response times. Message limits increase with higher-tier subscription plans. ChatGPT Go is designed for Indians who want greater access to ChatGPT's advanced capabilities at a more affordable price, the Microsoft-backed startup said in a statement. The top-tier version of ChatGPT -- ChatGPT Pro -- is priced at 19,900 rupees per month in India, while ChatGPT Plus, its mid-range plan, costs 1,999 rupees a month. Earlier this year, CEO Sam Altman met with India's IT minister and discussed a plan to create a low-cost AI ecosystem. India is OpenAI's second-largest market by user base after the United States and may soon become the biggest, Altman said recently.

India's Modi to meet China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties
India's Modi to meet China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties

The Mainichi

time2 hours ago

  • The Mainichi

India's Modi to meet China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties

NEW DELHI (AP) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with China's top diplomat on Tuesday in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after a yearslong standoff between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the U.S., along with Australia and Japan. 'Compromise at the highest political level' India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. Last year, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, the spokesman for India's foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3,488-kilometer (2,167-mile) border. Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, said relations are still at an uneasy level of normalization. "Settling the boundary issue between the two countries requires political compromise at the highest political level," said Joshi, who also served as a member of the advisory board for India's National Security Council. He asserted that the countries are "still talking past each other when it comes to the border dispute and issues surrounding it." Ahead of his meeting with Modi, Wang met India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. "The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders," Wang said. On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing is willing to take Wang's India visit as an opportunity to work with the Indian side to "properly handle differences and promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-India relations." Mao said Wang's meeting with Modi's national security adviser will "continue in-depth communication to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas." Modi plans to visit China soon The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China late this month -- his first visit in seven years -- to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter U.S. influence in Asia. Earlier this year, Xi called for India and China's relations to take the form of a "dragon-elephant tango" -- a dance between the emblematic animals of the countries. Last month, India's external affairs minister visited Beijing in his first trip to China since 2020. The US and Pakistan play roles in the thaw The renewed engagement comes as New Delhi's ties with Trump are fraying. Washington has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a penalty of 25% for purchasing Russian crude oil. The tariffs take effect Aug. 27. India has shown no sign of backing down, instead signing more agreements with Russia to deepen economic cooperation. Trump's renewed engagement with India's arch rival, Pakistan, has also encouraged New Delhi's overtures to China, said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who led the Indian military's Northern Command from 2014 to 2016. In June, Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief for a White House lunch and later announced an energy deal with Islamabad to jointly develop the country's oil reserves. Both followed Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the two sides traded military strikes in May. That clash saw Pakistan use Chinese-made military jets and missiles against India. "China is heavily invested in Pakistan and, practically speaking, you can't have any expectation that Beijing will hold back support to Islamabad," Hooda said. "But you can't have two hostile neighbors on your borders and simultaneously deal with them also."

IKEA bets big on India with varied store formats and supply chain expansion
IKEA bets big on India with varied store formats and supply chain expansion

Nikkei Asia

time2 hours ago

  • Nikkei Asia

IKEA bets big on India with varied store formats and supply chain expansion

Retail The Swedish furniture brand is rolling out compact shops and mixed-use developments An Ikea store in Bengaluru in June 2022. In a shift from the vast, warehouse-style outlets synonymous with the brand, the Swedish furniture retailer is now rolling out city-friendly outlets designed for high-density markets in India. © Reuters NEETA LAL August 19, 2025 15:08 JST NEW DELHI -- Swedish home-furnishing giant IKEA is expanding its India footprint through a blend of compact city stores, sprawling mixed-use developments and a robust online push. At the same time, it is integrating the South Asian nation more tightly into its global supply chain to better serve the Indian market and diversify its production sources.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store