Sterra made false, misleading claims about its air, water purifiers, as well as quality of Singapore’s tap water: Consumer watchdog

Sterra apologised and gave an assurance to the guardian that it would” stop its unfair business practices and put in place an inside compliance policy to ensure that its advertising components agree with good trading rules” following the investigation. Sterra’s directors, Lim Liangzhi and Lim Wei Hou, even gave individualContinue Reading

Platinum Equity buys controlling stake in Inventia Healthcare’s OSD arm | FinanceAsia

From Invascent’s India Life Sciences Fund III, New York Life Investment Management Jacob Ballas India Fund III, and affiliates of the company’s founding Shah family, US private equity firm Platinum Equity has acquired a controlling stake in the core Oral Solid Dosage ( OSD ) business.

A majority stake in Inventia is still owned by the Shah home. Invengene and Nutriventia, the injectables and nutraceuticals companies, respectively, are certainly part of the transaction and are being retained differently by the Shah home, according to an August 30 press release. &nbsp,

The acquisition’s financial details and the stake’s length were not made public.

Inventia, which has its headquarters in Mumbai, was cofounded in 1985 by the late president and managing director Janak Shah and Maya Shah, both of whom are now senior directors. For both ordinary and value-added pharmaceuticals, Inventia has around 100 customers who supply both semi-finished and finished OSD formulas. Inventia’s colleagues include global and local medicine companies that sell in more than 40 countries across North America, South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa.

In Maharashtra, India, Inventia runs a manufacturing facility in Ambernath and a research and development center in Thane. The company’s manufacturing platform is accredited by the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) and other&nbsp, regulatory authorities.

” This investment represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Inventia. We are thrilled to discover Platinum Equity’s expense in our main OSD company, said Maya Shah and the later Janak Shah in a joint statement due to Janak Shah’s new departure.

They added:” This relationship will funnel Inventia’s advantages and Platinum’s operational knowledge to force us to new levels. We are firmly committed to our vision, and we are assured that this partnership will encourage further development and innovation. Our vision for Inventia has always been to deliver high-quality, available medical items, and with Platinum Equity, we believe this vision will only increase stronger”.

The Asia funding team at Platinum Equity, based in Singapore, is tasked with leading the acquisition.

In a statement, Platinum Equity managing director Amit Sobti stated,” We believe Inventia is a solid platform for development in a fragmented industry, and our goal is to create a larger, more developed B2B firm focused on the beautiful but underprivileged emerging industry.” &nbsp,

By bringing in our operational and financial resources to further institutionalize the organization and set it up for success on a substantially greater range, Sobti continued,” We are excited to develop upon the strong base set by the Shah home.” Inventia’s existing product pipeline you generate strong healthy growth over the near future, which we will look to enhance through acquisitions, with an emphasis on broadening the company’s product portfolio and capabilities”.

Kotzubei stated that Platinum Equity will continue to look for platform deals in India that are appropriate for the company’s investment strategy in addition to looking for Inventia add-ons.

There are more opportunities available today that fit our approach, he explained, and the buyout market in India is continuing to evolve. ” There are more mature businesses with a greater need for operational support, including founders or family-owned businesses looking for a partner who can provide both operational expertise and capital. We have a lot of experience in those situations”.

Platinum Equity’s exclusive financial advisor on the transaction was Barclays. Trilegal and Lacham Watkins acted as India legal counsel for Platinum Equity while Austin Watkins was their international attorney. Kirkland &amp, Ellis provided financing counsel to Platinum Equity on the transaction.

Rothschild &amp, Co and Stifel Nicolaus India ( formerly Torreya Partners ) served as financial advisers to the sellers. Quillon Partners provided legal counsel to the sellers during the transaction.

FinanceAsia has reached out for more information.

¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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‘Won’t cancel just because of this’: Singapore travellers go ahead with KL trips despite sinkhole concerns

INCIDENT WON’T TURN TOURISTS AWAY: TOURISM ASSOCIATION

Syed Azhar Syed Nadzir, president of the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Association, stated to CNA that there has n’t been any change in tourism there. However, he anticipated that fewer people would visit the Jalan Masjid India area.

” We do n’t see any cancellations on our booking platforms. This time of year is known as the summer vacation time. We are convinced that all these orders may materialise”, he said. &nbsp, &nbsp, &nbsp,

” I think that tourists wo n’t make cancellation plans just because of this incident,” he said. Even though there are occasional landslides,” we do possess incidents like that,” says one visitor.

In the same vein, Uzaidi Udanis, president of Malaysia’s commerce council and northbound travel association, claimed that bookings did not drop in the wake of the incident.

” I communicate with my foreign counterparts every day, and there has n’t been much discussion about the specific incident,” he said.

Tourists would still go to different parts of the city, said Mr PT Hariyadurai, a licensed tour guide.

” The area is popular with visitors from the Indian and Indonesian areas, primarily because there are a lot of products that to buy.” &nbsp,

” Of course there will be an impact on the area for the time being, and it will take time for it to retrieve,” said Mr. Hariyadurai, whose business Skyrise Travel and Tours deals primarily with the global marketplace.

We do n’t want our clients to travel to the area right now; we want them to get somewhere else, like Bukit Bintang. ” &nbsp,

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Platinum Equity buys controlling stake in Inventia Healthcare | FinanceAsia

Invascent’s India Life Sciences Fund III, New York Life Investment Management Jacob Ballas India Fund III, and affiliates of the company’s founding Shah family have all acquired controlling stakes in Inventia Healthcare’s core Oral Solid Dosage ( OSD ) business from private equity firms Invascent’s India Life Sciences Fund III, New York Life Investment Management Jacob Ballas India Fund III, and other companies.

A majority stake in Inventia is still owned by the Shah home. Invengene and Nutriventia, the injectables and nutraceuticals companies, respectively, are certainly part of the transaction and are being retained differently by the Shah home, according to an August 30 press release. &nbsp,

The size of the play or the financial terms of the merger were not made public.

Inventia, which has its headquarters in Mumbai, was co-founded in 1985 by the late president and managing director Janak Shah and Maya Shah, both of whom are now senior directors. For both ordinary and value-added pharmaceuticals, Inventia has around 100 customers who supply both semi-finished and finished OSD formulas. Inventia’s companions include global and local medicine companies that sell in more than 40 countries across North America, South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa.

In Maharashtra, India, Inventia runs a production facility in Ambernath and a research and development center in Thane. The company’s manufacturing platform is accredited by the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) and other&nbsp, regulatory authorities.

” This investment represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Inventia. In a combined statement released just before Janak Shah’s moving, Maya Shah and the late Janak Shah, both as business owners and long-standing administrators, we are thrilled to discover Platinum Equity investing in our main OSD business.

They added:” This relationship will funnel Inventia’s advantages and Platinum’s operational knowledge to force us to new levels. We are firmly committed to our mission, and we are assured that this partnership will encourage more development and innovation. Our vision for Inventia has always been to deliver high-quality, available medical items, and with Platinum Equity, we believe this vision will only increase stronger”.

The Singapore-based Asia funding team at Platinum Equity is in charge of the acquisition.

In a statement, Platinum Equity managing director Amit Sobti stated,” We believe Inventia is a solid platform for development in a fragmented industry, and our goal is to create a larger, more developed B2B firm focused on the beautiful but underprivileged emerging industry.” &nbsp,

By utilizing our operational and financial resources to further institutionalize the company and prepare it for success on a substantially larger scale, Sobti continued,” We are excited to develop upon the strong base set by the Shah home.” Inventia’s existing product pipeline you generate strong healthy growth over the near future, which we will look to enhance through acquisitions, with an emphasis on broadening the company’s product portfolio and capabilities”.

Kotzubei stated that Platinum Equity will continue to look for program offers in India that are appropriate for the company’s investment strategy in addition to looking for Inventia add-ons.

There are more possibilities available now that fit our approach, he explained, and the buyout market in India is continuing to develop. ” There are more mature businesses that require more operating support, such as founder- or family-owned businesses that are looking for a partner with the ability to provide both operating expertise and capital. We have a lot of knowledge in those conditions”.

Silver Equity acted as Barclays ‘ special financial advisor during the transaction. Along with Trilegal as India’s constitutional representative for Platinum Equity, Lacham Watkins served as Trilegal’s global legal counsel. Kirkland &amp, Ellis provided financing guidance to Platinum Equity on the exchange.

Rothschild &amp, Co and Stifel Nicolaus India ( formerly Torreya Partners ) served as financial advisers to the sellers. Quillon Partners provided constitutional lawyers to the buyers during the transaction.

FinanceAsia has reached out for more details.

¬ Capitol Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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Singapore dollar could weaken in coming months, analysts say

SINGAPORE: According to experts, the relative strength of the Singapore dollar perhaps decline over the upcoming months as a result of the US economy’s smooth landing.

The main reason the Singaporean dollar recently reached 10-year highs in relation to the dollar was the US dollar’s weakness, they continued.

The Singapore dollar recently hit levels last seen in 2014 against the US dollar, according to Bloomberg ( Aug 23 ). It has traded near 1.30 against the US dollars this year, compared with 1.337 at the start of August and 1.358 in first July.

If financial data indicates that the US can prevent a crisis, the US dollar was reestablish some power, said Mr Sim Moh Siong, a dollar strategist at Bank of Singapore.

” We are still in the non-recession camp”, he said. We believe that the market has gotten a long way forward of itself when it is predicting a rapid price increase.

Higher-yielding Asian economies will increase, according to Mr. Peter Chia, a mature FX strategist at UOB.

UOB anticipates that the Monetary Authority of Singapore ( MAS ) will moderately ease the appreciation of the Singapore dollar’s nominal effective exchange rate ( S$ NEER ) in October.

” The SGD’s power relative to local currencies may comfortable in the approaching times”, Mr Chia said.

Charge CUT EXPECTATIONS

According to Mr. Manpreet Gill, Standard Chartered’s chief investment officer for Africa, Middle East, and Europe, the US dollar fell as interest rates were priced in response to subpar information.

He added that Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell’s remarks at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium&nbsp, past week&nbsp, were friendly of a price cut.

According to Mr. Gill,” the latest move has probably been very much centered on shifting rate expectations for the USD alone.”

A momentary decline below 1.30 for USD/SGD would not be shocking in the near future, according to Mr. Chia of UOB,” Gauging from the speed.”

There are only three sessions left in 2024, according to Mr. Sim of the Bank of Singapore, and the market is presently anticipating rate reductions of 100 base items for the remainder of the year.

The business anticipates a larger-than-normal slice of 50 base items at one of the meetings this year because the US Federal Reserve typically moves 25 basis points at once.

” What’s changed is that the businesses are now anticipating a much more aggressive pace of easing because of US crisis issues,” said Mr. Sim.

He claimed that the market’s fear was heightened by the labor market record, and that market expectations may be influenced by the upcoming report, which is scheduled for early September.

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EDB commits additional US.5 million funding, facilitates partnerships with startups

  • EDB has so far helped 24 firms build 14 projects, with more to travel
  • To work with 9 companies to reduce collaborations between S’pore companies &amp, business

EDB commits additional US$24.5 million funding, facilitates partnerships with startups

The Singapore Economic Development Board ( EDB) is committing US$ 24.5 million ( RM106 million ) in fresh funds over the next two years to continue driving corporate venturing in Singapore. The organization stated in a statement that the third edition of the Corporate Venture Launchpad ( CVL 3.0) also aims to facilitate the formation of partnerships with startups.

It added that, along with nine appointed CVL 3.0 lovers, EDB’s New Ventures team will work with selected firms to develop in new development areas. The partners will assist businesses in launching new businesses and establishing tools for successful corporate-startup cooperation.

The first edition of CVL was launched in May 2021 with US$ 7.6 million ( RM32.8 million ) in pilot funding. EDB expanded the program in July 2022 to include more businesses and committed additional funding of US$ 15 million ( RM 66 million ). Since the start of CVL, EDB has supported 24 firms in launching 14 new projects, with more projects in the pipeline.

]1 MYR = 0.231206 USD]

These endeavors are headquartered in Singapore, specific local markets, and make exciting career opportunities there. They have also received over US$ 53.7 million in follow-on revenue from existing and new owners. At least ten of these businesses are creating several businesses, with some establishing independent projects. Six of the new businesses are focusing on opportunities in development fields like AI and ecology.

EDB commits additional US$24.5 million funding, facilitates partnerships with startupsJacqueline Poh ( pic ), managing director of EDB, said:” The CVL programme has been a catalyst for companies to innovate for growth by leveraging Singapore’s world-class business ecosystem. The program confirms EDB’s dedication to working with businesses to create new ventures and foster mutually beneficial partnerships between corporations and companies.

Expanded program to assist corporate-startup partnerships

The expanded CVL 3.0 program may offer support for corporate-startup partnerships, providing an extra pathway for companies to get innovative products, services, and technology.

Instead of launching their own business, the businesses will collaborate with Open Innovation Partners to join with existing, top-notch startups and work together to achieve tangible business benefits. Such benefits include co-developing materials in Singapore to generate new revenue streams or adopting techniques that increase production and lower prices.

In order to boost the local innovative habitat, it added that companies will have more opportunities to grow by tapping into actual business need in Singapore.

Siemens ‘ collaboration with Artisan Green serves as an example of how corporate-startup partnerships can promote creativity and growth. Isabel Chong, senior vice president and head of Siemens Digital Industries in ASEAN, said:” Partnering with businesses is part of our long-term development plan at Siemens. For instance, our collaboration with the local horticultural farm Artisan Green makes use of our technology and digitalization tools to boost its output and scale operations. It exemplifies the interaction between Artisan Green’s strategy to industrial farming and our shared commitment to the production of high-quality, locally grown produce.

She added that she is pleased that EDB’s Business Venture Launchpad program is dedicating aid to nurturing corporate-startup collaboration and driving greater industry-wide engagement.

Ongoing focus on strengthening long-term opportunity creation capabilities

By establishing new businesses with a siège in Singapore, CVL 3.0 will continue to assist businesses in diversifying business prospects. In partnership with Venture Studio Partners, participating businesses will learn how to evaluate concepts within six-month sprints, as well as create sustained, long-term walk design capabilities.

After participating in CVL, world specialist engineering firm IMI plc established its in-house venturing division, IMI Venture Studio, to further produce green energy ventures. Marco Placidi, brain of Venture Studio at IMI corporation, said:” CVL has been a key element in IMI’s decision to build its enterprise studio in Singapore. EDB has created a strong ecosystem of business partners and corporations, which is enabling IMI to launch a number of ventures geared toward decarbonization and sustainability in the energy and commercial sectors.

He added that EDB’s expert help throughout the opportunity jumps and beyond has been crucial in establishing effective projects and attracting experienced, entrepreneurial ability. Through walk capital, IMI sees a lot of potential for new business expansion and technological advancement in the future, Placidi said.

Venture Studios and Open Innovation Partners make up the nine CVL lovers. They will offer tailored support based on the expertise level of each company, bringing their special capability-building products, procedures, skills, and assets.

Another aid characteristics of CVL 3.0 include:

  • EDB funding each idea validation sprint and business partnership initiative with up to 50 % of professional services and labor costs.
  • Find businesses will also be able to launch and level pilot projects that they co-developed with their startup partners and receive additional funding.
  • Where appropriate, EDB will build its enterprise builders and expert support to be part of the concept validation sprints and business partnership initiatives, both,
  • Potential access to a network of relevant VCs and family offices, as well as regional and global ecosystem connections, including investment opportunities from EDBI.

Companies can now submit applications to take part in CVL 3.0. Click here for more details.

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AI chip giant Nvidia’s shares sink despite record sales of bn

Nvidia, the maker of artificial intelligence ( AI ) chips, reported that its revenues for the three months leading up to July exceeded the previous year’s record of$ 30 billion ( £24.7 billion ).

However, the agency’s shares fell by more than 6 % in New York after the announcement.

Nvidia’s stock market value increased by more than$ 3tn, making it one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom.

The agency’s shares have risen by more than 160 % this year alone.

According to Matt Britzman, top equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, “it’s less about merely beating estimates then, as markets expect them to become shattered, and the size of the defeat today looks to have disappointed a little.”

The company’s pricing, which has increased tenfold in value in less than two years thanks to its supremacy of the AI device market, is driving the sky-high expectations.

Profits for the period soared, with operating income rising 174 % from the same time last year to$ 18.6bn.

Nvidia overtook researchers ‘ objectives for both sales and profits for the seventh consecutive quarter.

” Generative AI will revolutionise every market”, said Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang.

The outcomes have grown to a weekly event that causes Wall Street to go through a flurry of stock purchases and sales.

A “watch party” had been planned in Manhattan, according to the Wall Street Journal, while Mr Huang, famed for his signature leather jacket, has been dubbed the “Taylor Swift of tech”.

Alvin Nguyen, senior researcher at Forrester, told the BBC both Nvidia and Mr Huang have become the” face of AI”.

This has helped the company thus much, but it could also hurt its assessment if AI fails to deliver, according to Mr. Nguyen, despite the fact that businesses have invested billions of dollars in the technology.

” A thousand use cases for AI is not enough. You need a million”.

Mr Nguyen even said Nvidia’s first-mover benefit means it has market-leading materials, which its users have spent years using and has a” program ecosystem”.

He said that competitors, such as Intel, was” device ahead” at Nvidia’s market share if they developed a better solution, though he said this would take time.

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China’s Gen Z consumers shift from chasing status and trends to be ‘more rational and selective’

“CAUTIOUS” APPROACH IN BOOSTING Use

Since 2021, China’s government has introduced a series of procedures aimed at redistributing income and wealth, generally framed under the symbol of” popular prosperity”, says Mr Xu.

This has led to reprisals on high-paying companies like tutoring, the financial industry, and the software market. &nbsp,

” While these methods were intended to address income inequality, the effects have been significant, with the economy suffering greatly.”

Yet, there seems to be a change in the government’s strategy. According to Mr. Xu, new Third Plenum policies may recommend a move toward encouraging urbanization and stimulating migrant workers to settle in cities, work for a regular job, and perhaps even buy homes. &nbsp,

Instead of focusing only on lowering the earnings of the rich, the goal is to encourage growth in income among the lower-income groups. This technique, while encouraging, is unlikely to produce immediate results, and perhaps get five to 10 years to materialise- if it succeeds at all, Mr Xu adds.

Mr. Yu remarked that” the state is very evident that they do need to pull domestic consumption, and today’s situation is not appropriate for them.”

They want to really deepen the reform and finish a number of tasks in order to improve the Taiwanese economy’s quality, not just its quantity.

Amid these coverage shifts, Chinese homes, especially in the country’s largest towns, are exhibiting a designated caution in their investing. The rapid drop in housing costs in these urban centers is one of the main causes of this. &nbsp,

Previous tenacious housing markets started to deteriorate in mid-2023, according to EIU’s Mr. Xu, following the trend of smaller towns that saw value declines in 2021 and 2022. This decline has resulted in a bad success effect, where people’s spending is influenced by both their perceived wealth and their income.

The government’s assault on well-paying work in major Chinese cities has even contributed to this precaution. For example, investment banking incomes have dropped to as low as quarter of what they once were, causing consumer spending to decline. This trend is further demonstrated by a 7 % decrease in China’s personal income tax income this year.

” If you see a really small cut in personal income tax paid, that may indicate that all those who enjoy good jobs may have experienced a significant decline. So that’s possibly explaining why usage has been more careful”.

Kantar Worldpanel’s Mr Yu believes there’s a lot of “big intentions” behind driving use, although those are “grand approaches to translate into substantial policy, and may take some time”.

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With China’s Gen Z consumers craving value over status, luxury brands and global markets brace for impact

“CAUTIOUS” APPROACH IN BOOSTING Use

Since 2021, China’s government has introduced a series of procedures aimed at redistributing income and wealth, generally framed under the symbol of” popular prosperity”, says Mr Xu.

This has led to reprisals on high-paying companies like tutoring, the financial industry, and the software market. &nbsp,

” While these methods were intended to address income inequality, the effects have been more negative than positive, with the economy suffering significantly.”

Yet, there seems to be a change in the government’s method. According to Mr. Xu, new Third Plenum policies may recommend a move toward encouraging urbanization and stimulating migrant workers to settle in cities, work for a regular job, and perhaps even buy homes. &nbsp,

Instead of focusing purely on lowering the wealth of the rich, the goal is to encourage economic growth among the lower-income groups. This technique, while encouraging, is unlikely to produce immediate results, and perhaps get five to 10 years to materialise- if it succeeds at all, Mr Xu adds.

Mr. Yu remarked that” the state is very evident that they do need to pull domestic consumption, and today’s situation is not appropriate for them.”

They want to complete a number of tasks in order to improve the Taiwanese economy’s value, not just its quantity.

Amid these coverage shifts, Chinese homes, especially in the country’s largest towns, are exhibiting a noticeable caution in their investing. The quick drop in housing costs in these urban centers is one of the main causes of this. &nbsp,

Previous adaptable housing industry started to deteriorate in mid-2023, according to EIU’s Mr. Xu, following the trend of smaller cities that experienced price declines in 2021 and 2022. This decline has resulted in a bad success effect, whereby people’s spending is influenced by both their perceived wealth and their income.

This concern has also been heightened by the government’s assault on well-paying work in major Chinese cities. For example, investment banking incomes have dropped to as low as quarter of what they once were, causing consumers to spend less money. This trend is further demonstrated by China’s personal income tax revenue decline of 7 % this year.

” It should come as no surprise that there has been a significant cut in personal income tax paid,” the statement states. So that’s possibly explaining why usage has been more mindful”.

Kantar Worldpanel’s Mr Yu believes there are a lot of “big intentions” behind driving use, although those are “grand approaches to translate into substantial policy, and may take some time”.

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