Banking

• Oct 30, 2026 AI in HR centres on hiring, but human review remains common in Singapore SNEF’s survey found recruitment led workplace AI use, while 85% of reported HR applications still involved human input.
• Oct 30, 2026 Bank of Japan Holds Rate at 1.25% as Inflation Target Comes Into Reach The BOJ kept its rate at 1.25% but shifted its focus to containing inflation near 2%, with a December increase in view.
• Oct 30, 2026 DBS Leads Asean Brand Rankings as Grab Value Jumps 53% in 2026 Asean’s top 500 brands rose 8% to US$315.6 billion. DBS stayed No. 1 as Singapore brands gained ground across finance, travel and hospitality.
• Oct 30, 2026 Miami Beach Building Subsidence Varies, With Construction Linked to Continued Sinking Satellite measurements found uneven sinking across 35 buildings, raising questions about construction’s role and potential exposure for property insurers.
• Oct 30, 2026 Colorado Glaciers Lost Up to 12 Feet of Ice After Record-Low Snow and Heat Colorado’s largest glaciers thinned sharply in 2026, with losses doubling their recent pace as record-low snow and summer heat left ice exposed.
• Oct 30, 2026 Pennsylvania Flood Disclosure Law Adds Five Risk Questions to Home Sales Starting in July 2028, sellers must disclose flood history, coverage and claims, giving buyers more information as only about 1% of Pennsylvania households carr...
• Oct 30, 2026 Nippon Dynawave Cited After Hot Pulp Spill Exposed Worker to Sinkhole Hazard A Washington mill faces $77,800 in fines after a worker fell into a concealed sinkhole beneath hot pulp. Inspectors cited spill and piping safety failures.
• Oct 30, 2026 Buffalo Apartment Battery Tests Storage Safety in Multifamily Housing A 3.75 megawatt-hour system at Peace Bridge Place aims to cut power costs and provide backup, while testing whether large batteries can operate safely indoors.
• Oct 30, 2026 Accounting Firms Face Device Security Gaps Ahead of Tax Season Survey data shows gaps in device controls and phishing practice at accounting firms, despite high confidence in their cybersecurity.
• Oct 30, 2026 Tuas Power weighs Laos hydropower imports rising to 500 MW a year A proposed five- to 15-year supply deal would scale imports from 100 MW to 500 MW annually, with seasonal supply and delivery still to be worked through.
• Oct 30, 2026 Singapore Q3 Layoffs Reach 4,800 as Hiring and Unemployment Signals Diverge Layoffs rose for a fifth quarter as resident unemployment edged up, while employment expanded and more firms reported plans to hire.
• Oct 30, 2026 Warsh’s Fewer Fed Rate Decisions Put Treasury Volatility in Focus A shift to six rate decisions a year and less forward guidance may mean sharper Treasury repricing, though near term markets show little disruption.
• Oct 30, 2026 Gold Near US$4,000 as Inflation and Stock Market Selling Pressure Bullion Gold fell 0.5% to US$4,003.44 as hotter US inflation and a tech-led sell-off weighed on prices. Silver’s October decline reached about 15%.
• Oct 30, 2026 Seven-member panel set to assess Singapore firms linked to transboundary haze NEA’s panel will assess 10 companies’ operations and supply chains. Wilmar says it will engage firms from the group.
• Oct 30, 2026 AICPA Draft Would Update SOC 2 Criteria for AI and Automated Systems The proposed SOC 2 revisions add AI risk considerations and restructure criteria, with comments due Jan. 15, 2027.
• Oct 29, 2026 Singapore’s Senior Work Proposals Face Limits on Tax Relief and Flexible Jobs Experts say tax relief may miss lower earners, while flexible roles and job re-entry remain difficult to expand.
• Oct 29, 2026 Hong Kong Student Housing Draws Capital as Demand Outpaces Supply A projected student bed shortfall near 150,000 by 2030 is drawing investors into Hong Kong accommodation, with demand tied to rising non-local enrolment.
• Oct 29, 2026 European Shares Reach Seven-Week High as Earnings Offset Rate and Inflation Risks The Stoxx 600 rose 0.77% to 649.11 as strong company results supported shares despite higher energy costs and a possible December rate hike.
• Oct 29, 2026 Founder to Chairman: Giving a New CEO Authority Without Losing Accountability A founder’s shift to chairman can stall when oversight turns into micromanagement. Clear boundaries let a CEO lead while the board tracks results.
• Oct 29, 2026 What Architecture Can Teach Founders About Building Better Businesses An architect turned real estate founder says customer frustrations, clear service and smart constraints matter more than polish alone.