BT Lens On

Headline news for February 13, 2026: US-Taiwan ink reciprocal trade deal; Ukraine seeks peace election backing; Hong Kong IPO market booms, stressing banks; and Singapore boosts its Financial Sector Development Fund as the STI hits a historic 5000+. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg...

Headline news for February 12, 2026: US House narrowly votes to terminate Trump’s Canada tariffs as Japan wholesale inflation slows, Australia signals rate vigilance, Malaysia tests rail link, and Singapore BTO demand surges before Budget day. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg...

Headline news for February 11, 2026: U.S. intelligence and immigration policies are recalibrated as household debt delinquencies hit a post-2017 high. Thailand extends a royal insult sentence, while Singapore flags gaps in public-sector IT oversight. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.s...

Headline news for February 10, 2026: China’s sway in Bangladesh looks set to deepen after elections, as US-Canada trade tensions flare and Australia’s business activity cools. Singapore upgrades its growth outlook as household incomes climb past S$12,000. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro (...

Headline news for February 9, 2026: Japan’s ruling coalition secures a landslide, lifting the Nikkei, while Thailand’s Bhumjaithai claims victory. Oil slips on easing Iran tensions, India shuns Russian crude and Singapore forecasts a stronger Budget surplus. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro...

Headline news for February 6, 2026: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces backlash over his US envoy pick as Ukraine-Russia talks yield a prisoner swap, oil eases on Iran diplomacy hopes and Wall Street slides on soaring AI spending. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced...

Headline news for February 5, 2026: China considers buying more U.S.-farmed soybeans; oil prices fall, BoE to keep benchmark Bank Rate and users of mobility scooters in Singapore will need certificate of medical need. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by:...

Headline news for February 4, 2026: EU and US cut a deal on minerals to curb China; Britain to develop advanced nuclear reactors; bitcoin continues to slide and New Zealand’s jobless rate at its highest.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by: C...

Headline news for February 3, 2026: President Trump and India clinch a deal cutting US tariffs to 18% as New Delhi halts Russian oil purchases and expands trade ties; cryptocurrencies slump, gold rebounds and South Korean inflation eases.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )&nb...

Headline news for February 2, 2026: Iran threatens regional conflict as Washington boosts its military presence. Manufacturing gauges in South Korea and Japan strengthen. U.K. sentiment steadies, while Singapore’s rental car fleet climbs to a record share. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( clare...

Headline news for January 30, 2026: President Trump backs a bipartisan spending deal to avert a shutdown and signals a Fed pick, the EU sanctions Iran, Tokyo inflation cools, and analysts assess China’s stance before Japan’s snap election. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com....

Headline news for January 28, 2026: Saudi Arabia pledges neutrality toward Iran, the dollar sinks, Amazon layoffs loom, a Johor peat fire spreads haze, and Singapore’s food delivery market lags regional growth. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by:...

Headline news for January 27, 2026: President Trump and Minnesota’s governor move to defuse tensions over a fatal deportation crackdown, France advances a social media ban for minors, markets eye yen intervention, and the Singapore dollar hits a decade high. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( cla...

Headline news for January 26, 2026: A second fatal federal shooting highlights US immigration tensions, Europe unites on offshore wind, Israel’s delays Rafah pedestrian passage, Japan’s PM approval rating, gold hits record levels and Singapore tightens health-data consent rules. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Li...

Headline news for January 23, 2026: Washington rebuffed limits on Venezuela action as Davos exposed Ukraine tensions and Indonesia’s pitch, Amazon prepared fresh cuts, oil slid on geopolitics, and Singapore households braced for higher utility bills. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph...

Headline news for January 22, 2026: Washington eased tariff pressure linked to Greenland as Europe warned against escalation, Asian capitals assessed implications, and markets weighed slowing growth signals alongside fresh policy moves in Singapore and the region. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( cla...

Headline news for January 21, 2026: Markets recoil from renewed US tariff threats, Syria redraws control lines, Japan steadies rattled bond markets, and Singapore deepens security and diplomatic ties with Washington. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by:...

Headline news for January 20, 2026: Trump doubles down on tariff threats, AI anxiety reshapes work, Vietnam weighs power consolidation, China’s growth slows despite exports, and Singapore boosts education support for Malay/Muslim students. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )&n...

Headline news for January 19, 2026: Europe weighs retaliation as Trump Administration links tariffs to Greenland, Ukraine peace talks shift to Davos, Japan debates tax cuts, China’s growth slows, and Singapore plans A.I.-run driver training without instructors. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro (...

Headline news for January 16, 2026: US states move to cap data-centre power costs as Washington deepens trade ties with Taiwan, transport disruptions hit Japan, Malaysian politics resurface, Singapore exports slow, and Changi Airport traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monte...

Headline news for January 15, 2026: Washington recalibrates its Middle East posture as Venezuela’s oil trade tightens, Japan keeps politics at arm’s length from central banking, and Singapore tweaks housing rules to keep upgrades moving. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg...

Headline news for January 14, 2026: Iran accuses Trump of encouraging political destabilisation; Japan PM may call a lower house snap election; the US dollar recovers ground; and the Port of Singapore has a banner year. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited b...

Headline news for January 13, 2026: Reaction to Washington’s pressure on the Fed, tariffs widen with Iran, consumers pull back, and Singapore moves to centralise health data across its medical system. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by: Claressa M...

Headline news for January 12, 2026: Russia strikes Kyiv as Iran’s unrest deepens, Japan expands its security role in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s opposition lays out reform plans, Britain’s hiring slows, and Singapore’s property agencies quietly shrink. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Mon...

Headline news for January 9, 2026: Washington’s Venezuela push meets congressional resistance as Greenland talks continue, Japan’s consumers surprise on the upside, Malaysia clears a key political figure, and Singapore halts infant formula sales over safety concerns. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa...