An incomplete life

Four months ago l have watched a drama about incomplete life.  

Misaeng
http://asianwiki.com/Misaeng


At certain stage of our life we will think that we have achieved certain life goal and we are jubilant of it.  Our life is not all about us, in absolute isolation.  Many are affected by our decisions and actions or in-actions.  Our life is dependent on others decisions and actions and in-actions.

Just as SMOL said, "Our circle is not complete, yet we tend to speak and act as if it' a full circle!?".

Some published articles mentioning Misaeng :-

• 'Misaeng' syndrome grips the nation

• Momentum for labor market reforms

 

 

Daring to go big pays off for remisier

Daring to go big pays off for remisier

25 January 2015
Rachael Boon
The Straits Times

Once former engineer Charles Chua sets his mind on something, he goes for it and goes big.

When he was retrenched in 2008, he grabbed the opportunity to pursue a life-long interest in investing and eventually became a remisier in December 2009.

"When I became a remisier, I told myself this is going to be my last choice, there's no way out. When I first started out, I gave seminars and worked hard to acquire clients," says the self-employed remisier with Phillip Securities.

At the same time, Mr Chua, 42, fine-tuned his own money-making strategies, moving from speculating in products such as penny stocks to long-term investing in firms like real estate investment trusts (Reits).

"I started speculating in June 2006 and was making quite a bit of money - up to $180,000 - and got hooked," recalls Mr Chua.

"When the financial crisis came, I was caught (in it). I started speculating because of one of my ex-colleagues. He predicted the prices for Hyflux so accurately I thought he was able to read tea leaves, but it ended sadly."

Mr Chua had enough of speculating and, after analysing the potential returns in Reits, he decided to sell his executive condominium (EC) in Bishan and place 90 per cent of the sales proceeds into property trusts.

His efforts paid off and he netted a six-figure gain from the investment.

This allowed him to invest in opening a beauty salon with his wife Pinky Gooi, 36, who has been in the industry for almost 20 years.

The salon - Skinn in DjitSun Mall in Ang Mo Kio Central - recently expanded into two units at the mall.

The father of three girls aged 16, five and two, describes himself as someone who is focused and would do whatever it takes to make his dreams happen.

He believes that the Singapore market will remain challenging, owing to external factors such as the "weakness in oil prices, slowing growth from China, euro-related issues and more".

Mr Chua adds that the drop in oil prices needs to stabilise before the market here improves.

"The Singapore market also needs to attract better-known stocks to be listed here, to gain better recognition globally," he says.

"Formula One was mulling over a listing here and it created so much buzz and excitement but to no avail in the end."

As a remisier, Mr Chua also welcomes the reduction in board lot sizes from 1,000 to 100 shares, a move that makes it easier to invest in blue chips.

"It's good for the investors, especially the young ones because they have a chance to accumulate good stocks at an early age."

He adds that if the change increases trade in blue chips, it would "actually help to lower remisiers' risks (of defaults from clients)".

The risk is greatly lowered when it comes to trading blue chips compared with penny stocks, he says, adding that "the three-stock saga (namely Blumont, Liongold and Asiasons) has underlined the risk of trading penny stocks".

Q: Are you a spender or saver?

I'm more of a spender, and only put 20 to 30 per cent of my income into investment capital and spend the rest.

But I spend on rent, car instalments and such, which are not charged to my credit cards. I know I spend a lot, so I have to make a lot as well.

Q: How much do you charge to your credit cards every month?

I charge about $4,000 to $4,500 every month for my expenses, which are mostly for my family.

Q: What financial planning have you done for yourself?

I save 20 to 30 per cent of my income every month as investment capital for stocks. The rest is used for expenses, insurance and holidays. Right now I'm into oil-related and e-commerce stocks. I feel the oil collapse is with no fundamental basis, and e-commerce will probably be the next big thing, at least among the young.

I'm holding only two stocks, Alibaba and Keppel Corp. I don't like to spread my funds everywhere. I'm very focused.

When I'm bullish on a particular stock, I will go into it substantially. I prefer companies like these, that will still be around five years down the road. But there's no guarantee.

I'm no longer in Reits, but when I retire eventually, I'd like to invest in them to earn passive income. I previously invested in stocks such as SingPost and OCBC.

Q: Money-wise, what were your growing-up years like?

I have three siblings. I'm the youngest. We had a very simple life. My dad was a civil servant and my mum was a cake shop assistant.

We were living in a two-bedroom Housing Board flat in Holland Close.

All my three elder brothers and I were sharing one room, and having a room to myself then was a fantasy. I had my first fast-food burger at the age of 12. That was how simple life was.

My mum is a saver and my dad was a spender. He's already passed away.

Q: How did you get interested in investing?

I was speculating in US options, S-chips and penny stocks before December 2009, and lost about $60,000.

It was only after I became a remisier that I started to analyse the potential returns from Reits.

After getting burnt, I had to be extra cautious so I chose Reits. When I decided to take that leap, I needed the funds so I sold off my Bishan EC.

I decided to do it because of my analysis of the market.

Reits were quite bullish from 2012 until June 2013, when (former US Federal Reserve chairman) Ben Bernanke made a remark that the bank would start "tapering" its QE (quantitative easing) programme.

That was when the Reit market came down by up to 40 per cent, but I had already sold off my investments some time in May 2013 and made a six-figure sum.

When I put my funds into Reits, I had a five-year horizon.

But since I was already up by 40 per cent, I decided that if the market was going to react negatively to any QE cuts or interest rate increases, I'd choose to go out (of the market) and stay on the sidelines.

I reinvested my funds into three areas from there: a three-bedroom condominium, a beauty salon with my wife, and other stocks.

After the lessons learnt when I had a speculative mindset, before buying any stocks, I ask myself if a company will still be in existence five years from now. Offhand, if the immediate answer is a 90 per cent yes, I'll commit financially.

This is in line with one of Warren Buffett's investing principles. I read about some of the things he has done... he has never written a book himself, some are written on his behalf.

After I answer the question and settle on a stock, I go into the technical analysis of it and read the quarterly results.

Q: What property do you own?

I'm getting keys for a three-bedroom condominium unit in Farrer Road soon, and I'm probably going to move into it in March.

I bought it in February 2013. I liked the place and it would be good for my younger children to go to a school nearby.

Q: What's the most extravagant thing you have bought?

A BMW car that I bought seven years ago. I think it's the most extravagant not because of the value but because it's a depreciating asset. Luckily for me, my wife is not into jewellery.

Q: What's your retirement plan?

My wife and I would eventually like to have five beauty salons and maximise the potential of every individual outlet, and to invest in Reits to earn passive income.

When you reach a certain age, you don't wish to have such a challenging adventure in stocks any more and prefer to put your money into something that is less volatile. But the returns with lower volatility will be quite fixed.

Q: Home is now...

A rental condominium unit near the salon in Ang Mo Kio.

Q: I drive...

A BMW car.

WORST & BEST BETS

Q: What is your worst investment to date?

I have a speculative mindset, which eventually led me to lose $60,000 in US options, S-chips and penny stocks.

I just wanted to make a quick buck but I realised that with a speculative mindset, I was more emotional than rational.

If I did not stop, things could have been worse.

Q: What is your best investment to date?

My wife - because of her, we have a beautiful family and the recently expanded beauty salon Skinn, and I have the energy to focus on my stock investments.

I also learnt how to use the knowledge of others and books. I've learnt one very important lesson from books, which is to be very afraid to fail and that makes me do all things possible to not fail.

I was inspired by the book Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going. Mr Lee was very afraid Singapore would fail. He described Singapore as "an 80-storey building on marshy land".

I'm now reading it for the third time to always remind myself to do all things possible to not fail.

I've learnt so many things the hard way after getting the golden handshake.

rachaelb@sph.com.sg

If Dating Was Like Investing, Would You Be An Investor Or A Stock?

If Dating Was Like Investing, Would You Be An Investor Or A Stock?

by Emily Chu
Elite Daily
Jan 9, 2015; 9:25am

Like many things in this world, relationships form complex systems that are difficult to understand and almost impossible to predict.

However, there are general guidelines to complex systems that we can apply to relationships to make them easier for our simple minds to grasp.

The stock market is one of the more popular complex systems today, which we can use for this purpose.

By dissecting the behaviors, movements and roles that occur in the stock market, we may be able to better understand why we are attracted to certain types of people, why certain people are attracted to us, how we can improve our strategies and who we are, hypothetically, best suited for in varying life circumstances.

We might even, dare I say, forecast with a certain degree of certainty the messy trajectory of our all-too-human hearts.

Using this model, here’s how we can think about relationships:

In each relationship, one person is predominantly the Investor while the other is predominantly the Stock. While both are investing in each other in some way, to a certain degree, the Investor has more to lose than the Stock.

Likewise, while both are proving their value to each other in some way, the Stock has more to prove than the Investor.

General rule of thumb: You are the Investor if you are more attracted to people based on their ability keep up with you and/or make you look better. You are the Stock if you are more attracted to people who have the ability to support you, better you or otherwise believe in you.

It is neither better nor worse to be the Investor or the Stock because both roles come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. You play these roles based on the cards life has dealt you and what you have done with them so far.

Stocks and Investors can morph into different types and even switch or play dual roles simultaneously throughout their lifetimes.

The success of each relationship primarily hinges on market circumstances when an Investor decides to invest in a certain type of Stock.

Disturbing environments breed disturbing relationships, smart environments breed smart relationships, unnatural environments breed unnatural relationships, rich environments breed rich relationships, lazy environments breed lazy relationships, and so on.

The following details just a few of the types of Investors and Stocks you often encounter in the marketplace. Feel free to think beyond these parameters and/or correct any of the following descriptions as you see fit.

Types of Investors

Average Investor:
Plays the field decently; believes that playing the field is the best strategy to spread his/her risk before settling down with the Stock that returns most consistently over time.

This is one of the more well-rounded Investors. Most likely to pursue, fall in love with and end up with S&P 500s and Solid Stocks.

Savvy Investor:

Savvy Investors (think) they know all the tricks and plays in the book.

They are more knowledgeable about the market than any of the Investors. Behavior is 99.9 percent strategy and 0.1 percent emotion.

All moves are premeditated. Most likely to pursue Penny Stocks and Game Changers.

Most likely to fall in love accidentally with Underrated Stocks or High Risks. Most likely to end up with Solid Stocks.

Angel Investors:

Angel Investors are the most detached from the market than any other Investor, always keeping their heads above the melee.

They invest in Stocks based on how closely they identify with their cause.

Angel Investors are the most discreet about their wealth, but also the most gracious. They are scarce due to lower participation in the market.

Angel Investors don’t have a reputation for pursuing, ending up with or falling for any particular kind of stock, but never invest in Dumb Risks or Metal Scrap.

Venture Capitalists:

Venture Capitalists are in it for the thrill more than any other Investor.

They are driven, energetic and incredibly discerning.

They are all about you when times are good and nonexistent when times are bad. They have a hate-love relationship with Tech Stocks.

Most likely to perpetually date a string of Tech Stocks and Entertaining Stocks unless they get truly tired from it, in which case, they are most likely to become Angel Investors.

Hedge Fund Managers:

Hedge Fund Managers are charismatic and intelligent, but otherwise suffer from comically bad judgment.

Too bent on finding the Penny Stocks and future Game Changers, they accumulate a history of Scrap Metal relationships.

Despite an appalling track record, their personalities, wealth and networks keep them afloat.

They somehow end up with The Penny Stock or Game Changer of the century, to the bewilderment and relief of family and friends.

Unlucky Investors:

These investors are comparable to Hedge Fund Managers without the status, network or wealth to keep them afloat through hard times. They possess poor judgment based on a soft spot for underdogs.

They base decisions based on volatile, fleeting emotions and often regret decisions, but press on valiantly. Believes their poor luck has little to do with anemic strategy formation.

Foreign Investors:

 Foreign investors can be one of three things: 1) Incredibly experienced, 2) Incredibly mis-informed and/or 3) Incredibly alluring. This is because foreign investors come from markets where the same roles apply, but the same rules don’t.

While being foreign is a secondary, not a primary attribute of the Foreign Investor, Stocks will always think of Foreign Investors as primarily Foreign.

Foreign Investors generally have better luck than domestic investors at spotting Game Changers because true brilliance is universal.

Spectator:

The Spectator discusses the Stock market with a lot of his/her Investor friends, but never actually participates.

He/she understands the value of the Stock market, but believes it is just too big of a gamble in the end.

Strangely believes that Investors are born, not made.

Spectators have a secret journal of Stocks in which they would hypothetically invest, if they actually invested. Most likely to end up with bonds.

Types of Stocks

S&P 500s:

S&P 500s are the classic Stocks of the current empire.

They are limited, but mass manufactured.  All Investors can get a piece of these Stocks relatively easily if they want. Their morals are questionable, but they clean up well.

They make up in decency what they may lack in quality of opinion.

Being with a S&P 500 doesn’t give you many style points, but they are a mark of decent success in life.

They pursue all types of Investors and are generally satisfied with whichever one(s) they land.

High Risks:

High Risks are hard to read. You have no idea what they’re up to.

They seem to have something going for them, but they could also have absolutely nothing going for them. It’s a surreal feeling being attracted to High Risks, because everything in the Market tells you not to do it, but you want to do it anyway.

High Risks, themselves, don’t really know whether they have something going for them or not, because they don’t really care.

They fly by the seat of their pants and wish for the best.

They like the idea of being with or falling in love with Hedge Fund Managers, but again, they don’t really care.

Dumb Risks:

Dumb Risks are Stocks that are about to fall drastically in value in the imminent future.

They probably peaked too early. They are now too stubborn to adjust to changing market conditions, simply outdated or both.

They need a serious reality check and nobody should invest in them for the sake of rationality.

It is best and most natural for Dumb Risks to collapse and reform as new entities, at which point, it can become any type of Stock it chooses.

Overrated Stocks:

Overrated Stocks have both an inflated sense of value and a sad amount of insecurity from being hyped up and overanalyzed by everyone.

They are most likely at a crossroads in their lives and need a compassionate Investor (doesn’t matter which type) who doesn’t give them too much attention.

Underrated Stocks:

Underrated Stocks run the risk of being more intriguing than they are actually useful. They could also turn out to be major Game Changers. It’s the Investor’s gamble.

Underrated Stocks pursue Savvy Investors, Venture Capitalists, Angel Investors and Hedge Fund Managers.

They are most likely to fall in love with and end up with Savvy Investors if they are able to find one willing to invest in them.

Entertaining Stocks:

Sometimes, it is nice to purchase a Stock just because you can, and sometimes, it’s nice to be invested in just because you know you can be. Entertaining Stocks are the best choice for Investors looking for this type of dynamic.

They have a certain type of flair but never stick around for long.

Ultimately, relationships with Entertaining Stocks tend to teach both parties the most about what they really want from love, relationships and life overall. Entertaining Stocks pursue Investors of all types, as long as they’re confident.

Solid Stocks:

Solid stocks don’t have crazy dreams or ambitions, but possess a good sense of humor and a resilient outlook.

They stand by you and are your cornerstone when the going gets tough. Even when everyone else disappoints you, you will be able to count on them to be there for you.

Private Stocks:

Private stocks are the least accessible of the Stocks.

They are more concerned with making it in their careers or other life ambitions than finding an Investor.

If they become available, they only expose themselves to a handful of handpicked potential candidates.

Penny Stocks:

Penny stocks are what many in the market mistakenly perceive to be Metal Scrap, but actually possess incredible potential for growth. Penny Stocks are unconventionally attractive and fly under the radar.

Penny Stocks are the most appreciative of all the Stocks and will always remember the first Investor who first saw them as they really were.

They have a soft spot for the Average Investor, but most often end up with Hedge Fund Managers.

Penny Stocks should avoid Unlucky Investors at all costs because they don’t know what to do with Penny Stocks and will often take them for granted.

Tech Stocks:

These stocks are well known in the market for their many attractive attributes. They are trendy and hot and possess debatable substance.

They have a hate-love relationship with Venture Capitalists and they are never fully able to escape from it. They are happiest when able to snag an Angel Investor.

Game Changers:

Game Changers are brilliant in every single comprehensible way.

They are the most mentally, emotionally and physically stimulating Stock in which you will ever invest.

They have a different outlook on the world; one that makes them just the right amount of crazy, sane and sexy.

They are highly coveted and many Investors mistakenly pass up the opportunity to buy, believing Game Changers are too good to be true.

They are compatible with Investors of all types because Game Changers allow their Investors to retire from the market for life.

Foreign Currencies:

Foreign Currencies are the poster children of their respective cultures.

They are the creative, free citizens of the world. They tend to be relatively unstable, but those who invest in Foreign Currencies view this positively.

Those who invest in foreign currencies are either 1) Skilled, highly educated and mobile or 2) Escapist, disillusioned and naiive. As times progress, even the Average Investor is growing increasingly comfortable trading with foreign currencies.

Foreign Currencies prefer to be with Hedge Fund Managers because their uniqueness is not a novelty to such Investors; it is a standard.

Metal Scrap:

Metal Scrap is primarily useless and/or has not yet done anything significant with his/her potential.

Their survival strategy thus far in life is to discombobulate all types of Investors with misleading shininess.

Precious Metals:

Precious metals are highly sought after by insecure Investors, or Investors recovering from a recent market downturn or string of bad investments.

They never present themselves as more than what they are; they possess the most enduring intrinsic value of all Stocks.

Bonds:

Bonds are basically low-value Stocks that make up for in loyalty what they lack in pretty much everything else.

Most compatible with Spectators.








-end-

Let It Go .....

It is a heart-warming news.  *sniff*

>>>>>>>

story and photos source :- CCTV News

Dec 18, 2014 9:44 pm
 

One last hug…Goodbye my love

It’s -24°C on Wednesday, the coldest day so far in northeast ‪China‬’s Shenyang city, capital of Liaoning Province.

A scene on the street of this city touched many passersby. An old man held his late wife’s body tight in his arms for nearly two hours, braving the chilly weather.

63-year-old Mr. He lost his wife after she died of a sudden heart attack on her way to a pharmacy. He missed the last chance to say goodbye, and in a heartbreaking moment, he rushed to the spot where she was found dead.

“The woman was conscious when the accident happened…but she fainted without being able to tell her family’s phone number,” a passerby told China Business Morning News.

When local police were reported the case, they found the family’s contact information via the medical card in her pocket and Mr. He was informed.

While onlookers suggested Mr. He took his wife’s body home, he seemingly decided to stay with her in the cold.

“It’s all right. I will stay with her longer and the car (from my son) is on the way.”

They were both taken home when Mr. He’s son arrived two hours later.

After photos of the scene were posted on Sina Weibo, China’s largest social media platform, they were reposted thousands of times and many saluted their love.

“Life is too short. May you meet each other in your next life.” @simazaguanggang

“For each farewell, please take it seriously. Say one more word, have one more glimpse, and it may be the last one. ” @Century21budongchan_yangwenjun

“This hug has warmed the whole winter.” @Hai_CCtongxue

-end-

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Song Lyrics from "Frozen" movie, Let It Go :-

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know.
Well, now they know!

Let it go, let it go!
Can't hold it back any more.
Let it go, let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I don't care what they're going to say.
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance,
makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me.
I'm free!

Let it go, let it go.
I am one with the wind and sky.
Let it go, let it go.
You'll never see me cry.
Here I'll stand, and here I'll stay.
Let the storm rage on.

My power flurries through the air into the ground.
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back; the past is in the past!

Let it go, let it go.
And I'll rise like the break of dawn.
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand, in the light of day.

Let the storm rage on!
The cold never bothered me anyway..

SPH raised its appetite for risk

link to original story source
other related story : SPH AGM Opening Remarks


December 2nd, 2014 at 2:48 pm
mUmBRELLA Asia


SPH chairman tells shareholders ‘We are raising our appetite for risk’ to return to growth

The chairman of Singapore Press Holdings, one of Asia’s most profitable publishers, told shareholders today that the company had raised its “appetite” for risk as part of its plan to return to growth.

Speaking at SPH’s annual general meeting in Singapore today, chairman Lee Boon Yang said that a S$100 million (US49 million) fund set aside for new digital ventures showed that the company was prepared to take a higher level of risk than it has in the past, by investing in a wider range of companies outside of its core publishing competency.

“Have we raised our appetite for risk? The answer is yes,” he said, using the company’s investments in the magazine distribution platform Magzter and the real-time bidding firm Smaato as evidence of that, with the caveat that SPH had acquired “small stakes to begin with”.

“We’re looking to make more acquisitions in new digital media to supplement the traditional media business. But it’s not a head long rush to invest this fund.” he said.

“We’re making very careful and selective investments in digital media, which are in areas we think have good prospects, and that will supplement the business in years to come.”

“These investments will take time – they won’t generate profit immediately. And I must say that some investments will not succeed,” he cautioned.

“We are investing in tech start ups, such as real-time bidding and digital magazine platforms. Some will make it – they will pay off very well. But some will not. We have to accept this,” he said.

SPH’s AGM comes two months after it reported a six per cent fall in operating revenue from its newspaper and magazine division. These losses were partly offset by gains made by the luxury shopping malls that it owns – up 3.5 per cent. But revenue was down two per cent overall.

Lee said that while a decline in newspaper circulation was being reversed by a rise in digital audiences, striking a profitable balance between print and digital would “take time.”

“Print newspaper circulation is going down, although our newspapers’ total circulation actually went up by 1.4 per cent this year,” Lee noted.

“That’s because of our paid digital subscriptions, which are helping to reverse a decline in print. We want to ensure we have the basis to recover losses from traditional print. This will take time,” he said.

“Our newspapers have been with us for 170 years next year. Our digital newspapers are still quite new in SPH’s history. We have to give it some time and work out how to monetise the model.”

Lee added that a number of the investments SPH has made were “not showing in the financial results yet” by contributing a profit. Those that are include online motoring website sgCarMart.com, which the company bought for $60 million in April last year, and Malaysian classified ads website Mudah.my.

“Some of our investments are profitable, and now the focus is on how to grow these investments so they can make a better contribution,” he said.

SPH remains one of the region’s most profitable newspaper groups, with 28.7 per cent operating margin 2014 – although that margin has fallen from 39 per cent in 2010.

The company’s return on shareholder funds has slipped from 22.4 per cent in 2010 to 11 per cent this year, while dividend per share has fallen from 27 cents in 2010 to 21 cents in 2014.

Fortune shines on China's leading women in industry

Honey Money : In today's world, the female stereotypic role is to marry and have children and is still a society norm.   This stereotyping is changing  but at a snail pace.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

news source : asiaone - Business

additional read :  Fortune China 

Fortune shines on China's leading women in industry

Saturday, Nov 15, 2014

Qiu Quanlin

China Daily/Asia News Network

GUANGZHOU - Fortune China, the Chinese-language version of Fortune magazine, has released a 25-strong list of what it considers the country's most powerful businesswomen, insisting they are no less competitive or successful than their male counterparts.

The magazine said those on the list could actually claim to be better leaders, given their dual roles in many cases of being successful wives and mothers as well as captains of industry and commerce.

It makes the case that their sharp minds, strong willpower and more flexible approach to business offer more advantages in leadership and business management.

The women on the list are from various sectors, including manufacturing, banking, communication, e-commerce, the automotive industry, real estate, as well as other Internet-related sectors.

Ranked third on the list is Zhang Xin, chief executive officer at prime office real-estate developer SOHO China Ltd, who said she considered businesswomen much better at finding a successful work/life balance.

"I try to go home at 7 pm to be with my family. At home, I am not an CEO but a wife and a mother," said Zhang, who is also the wife of SOHO's president Pan Shiyi.

Liu Chong, one of the magazine's editors, said the powerful businesswoman were chosen not only for their ability to lead companies to a higher business performance, but also for their contribution to society.

The female business leaders have also proved more willing or able in many cases to embrace changing industrial trends, said Liu, none more so than the woman at the top of this year's list, Gree Electric Appliances Inc Chairwoman and President Dong Mingzhu.

Dong has been instrumental in growing the company's online services, particularly.

"As a major player in the traditional manufacturing sector, we have attached great importance to the Internet business by launching online sales," Dong said.

The Guangdong-based company reported 132.5 million yuan ($21.6 million) in online sales this week during the Nov 11 Singles' Day online shopping spree, selling more than 47,000 air conditioners, for instance, according to figures released by the company. Its sales increased by 12.7 per cent year-on-year to surpass 100 billion yuan in the first three quarters.

"We have always given priority to technology and innovation research to make better products, but we will not develop without embracing the booming Internet industry," Dong told China Daily.

A survey by recruiting firm Hays earlier this year showed that 36 per cent of management roles in China are now held by women, compared with the Asian average of 28 per cent.

Of the new Chinese list, 10 were also included in a separate list of Asia's most influential businesswomen, released in September by Fortune.

Li Yongning, a professor with the Guangdong Research Institute for International Strategies at the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, said more women are expected to take top management positions in future.

"Women are born to be more attentive and sensitive than men and are proving more competitive in the services sector and other booming Internet-related industries, which will characterize China's future economy," said Li.

-end-

CitySpring to merge with Keppel Infrastructure?

original news source

CitySpring Said to Weigh Merger With Keppel Infrastructure
By Joyce Koh and Jonathan Browning November 13, 2014

CitySpring Infrastructure Trust (CITY), a Singapore piped-gas supplier backed by Temasek Holdings Pte, is exploring a merger with Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT), people with knowledge of the matter said.

The two business trusts are negotiating terms of a potential deal and no final decision on whether to proceed has been made, the people said, asking not to be named as the talks are private.

A transaction would combine Singapore’s sole producer of residential gas with Keppel Infrastructure Trust, which generates power from city waste and supplies reclaimed water to industrial users. State investment company Temasek owns 37 percent of CitySpring, which has a market value of S$782 million ($605 million), according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Both trusts were suspended from trading in Singapore, pending the release of an announcement. Spokesmen for CitySpring and Keppel Infrastructure said they couldn’t immediately comment. CitySpring units were up 2 percent at 51.5 Singapore cents at the time of the halt, headed for the highest close since June 2011. Keppel Infrastructure gained 0.5 percent.

An average 221,600 Keppel Infrastructure units changed hands daily in the past year, compared with an average 2.3 million units for trusts listed in Singapore, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. About 737,000 CitySpring units were traded daily over the same period, the data show.

CitySpring’s gas business generated 76 percent of its sales for the year ended March, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The company also supplies desalinated water, transmits electricity and manages telecommunications assets.

Keppel Infrastructure Trust, with a market value of S$655 million, has a mandate to invest in energy and environmental infrastructure assets in Singapore, Asia Pacific and Europe. It is 49 percent owned by Keppel Corp., a maker of offshore oil rigs whose largest shareholder is Temasek, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

To contact the reporters on this story: Joyce Koh in Singapore at jkoh38@bloomberg.net; Jonathan Browning in Hong Kong at jbrowning9@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Philip Lagerkranser at lagerkranser@bloomberg.net

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Money Honey :-

K-Green is cash rich so it is likely Temasek is using it to inject much needed funds into CitySpring.  Win-win for both K-Green and CitySpring.  Dividend income for K-Green and CitySpring gets the money.  This is just my gut-feeling.

Beauty more important than life?

Trouble brewing in South Korea's plastic surgery paradise

Sat, Nov 1 2014 By Ju-min Park

SEOUL, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Kim Bok-soon disliked her nose and fantasised about getting it fixed after learning of the Korean superstition that an upturned nose makes it harder to hold on to riches.

While waiting in a hair salon, she saw a magazine advertisement for a plastic surgery clinic and decided to go for it, despite her family's objections.

In South Korea, where physical perfection is seen as a way to improve the quality of life, including job and marriage prospects, plastic surgery procedures can seem as commonplace as haircuts.
Kim's doctor said he could turn her into a celebrity lookalike, and Kim decided to take the plunge, taking loans and spending 30 million won ($28,000) for 15 surgeries on her face over the course of a day.

When the bandages came off and she looked in the mirror, she knew something had gone horribly wrong. Only later did Kim find out her doctor was not a plastic surgery specialist.

Five years later, Kim struggles with an array of medical problems, and is unable to close her eyes or stop her nose from running. The 49-year-old divorcee said she was unemployed and suffers from depression.

"It is so horrible that people can't look at my face," Kim, crying, said in her tiny one-room Seoul flat filled with photographs from before and after the surgeries.
"This is not a human face. It is more revolting than monsters or aliens."

A record from the Seoul central district court shows that Kim's doctor faces a pending criminal case on charges of violating medical law. The case began in 2009 after several patients including Kim reported him to the authorities. The doctor's lawyer turned down Reuters' request for an interview.
The boom in South Korea's $5 billion plastic surgery industry - that's a quarter of the global market according to the country's antitrust watchdog - is facing a backlash, with formal complaints about botched procedures and dodgy doctors doubling in 2013 from a year earlier.

Some plastic surgeons say safety fears could stifle the country's nascent but fast-growing market for medical tourism, especially from China.

Complaints range from unqualified doctors to overly aggressive marketing to "ghost doctors", who stand in for more qualified doctors and perform surgeries on unwitting, anaesthetized patients.
Cha Sang-myun, chairman of the Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons, which represents 1,500 plastic surgeons, is worried about their reputation. Cha and some lawmakers are among those calling for tighter supervision and stricter advertising rules.

"We've got to clean ourselves up," Cha said at his clinic in Seoul's high-end Gangnam district, which is filled with plastic surgery clinics.
"Now, patients from China are coming in the name of plastic surgery tourism but if things go on like this, I don't think they will come in the next few years," he said.

GHOST DOCTORS
In a notorious case last December, a high school student ended up in a coma after surgeries to fix her nose and get a "double-eyelid", a procedure that makes the eyes look bigger.

Cha's group looked into the incident and found the hospital that performed the surgery hired such ghost doctors, and referred the case to prosecutors. It is still under investigation by prosecutors and nobody has been indicted, an official at the association said.

Critics blame lax regulation, excessive advertising and society's obsession with appearance for fuelling an industry run amok.

South Korea is home to more than 4,000 plastic surgery clinics and has the world's highest rate of cosmetic procedures - 13 for every 1,000 people in a population of 49 million - according to government data.

The boom is gaining steam, fuelled by tourism, with the number of visiting Chinese patients tripling between 2011 and 2013, government data shows.

"Advertising too much has made people think surgeries are a commodity. People now think plastic surgeries are like buying stuff somewhere," said Cha, who has performed plastic surgeries for more than two decades.

"But plastic surgery is a surgery too, which can risk your life," he said.
A Miss Korea contestant in the 1980s underwent breast augmentation in 2008 in the hope that it would boost her chances of finding a husband.

Park, 50, who is divorced and gave only her surname, ended up going to the same doctor as Kim. Due to a series of post-surgical infections, her right breast ended up half the size of the left.

"I regret it so much that I tried to kill myself twice," she said. "Plastic surgeries are like an addiction. If you do the eyes, you want to do the nose. And doctors don't say 'you are beautiful enough', but get people to do more." (Editing by Tony Munroe and Tony Tharakan)

-end-


Money Honey :-

There are many plastic surgery establishments here in Singapore too.
Here are a few of them :-

Sloane Clinic
Dream Plastic Surgery
Gangnam Laser Clinic
Cambridge Medical
KAE Clinic
Atlas Medical
there are many more similar aesthetics clinics here in Singapore.

additional read :-

Lollipop.sg
Straits Times
The Asian Parent
The New Paper


There are some similarities between plastic surgery and stock investing.  

Plastic surgery is an investment to a land a dream job perhaps.  People investing into stocks which they deemed as necessity in order to achieve their 'end goal' dream; many ended up attending get-rich-quick workshops.   

Peer pressure is also another cause for plastic surgery especially when your group members have flawless skin and the right shape.  In stock investing l see herd instinct as a form of peer pressure to conform; what the majority are doing (buy now! quick cut loss! etc etc) can never be wrong if l follow too. 

Both plastic surgery and stock investing are not risk free.

Chart of the Day: Discover the culprit behind the drastic plunge in oil prices

Singapore Business Review
NEWS ECONOMY, ENERGY & OFFSHORE | Staff Reporter, Singapore
Published: - 20 Oct 14

Everyone took a painful beating this month.

The crash in oil prices, alongside slowing growth in the global economy, have set the stage for an edgy year-end for corporate Singapore.

According to a report by CIMB, the combined impact of Europe’s decrepitude and China’s investment slowdown meant that the engines of demand were not very strong to begin with. Add the talk of Saudi Arabia is acting unilaterally and dumping oil, plus a rising shale gas output in the US, they are not hopeful of a sustained rebound in oil prices.

CIMB’s theories attributed to the recent drastic fall in oil price include: 1) slowdown in Europe and China industrial production, 2) the US shale production boom and cut in OPEC imports, 3) OPEC infighting and Saudi Arabia acting unilaterally to flood the market, 4) a conspiracy theory that Saudi is acting as a pawn for the US to bring down oil prices and hurt Russia, and 5) Libya’s production re-entering the market after a period of internal strife.

CIMB adds that the likely effect is reduced offshore capex, which would not be good for rig order flow. That is not new but could get more ugly. If the new normal for oil price is now US$80/bbl, order flow for KEP and SMM deepwater vessels will struggle. Smaller O&M business model that use refurbished vessels ismore sustainable but day rates will also fall.

Ultimately, as for CPO stocks, biodiesel demand will cease to be viable and CPO prices will stay soft. These sectors have fallen the most, but have reasons for caution. Transport plays looks increasingly attractive.

-end-

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greengiraffe (aka Sillinvestor) commented in valuebuddies.com under SembCorp Marine thread :-

22 Sept 14
"Sembmarine is a pure CONcentrated bet that will bear the full brunt of bearish shortist.  KepCorp is a CONglomerate that will leave slightly more CONfusion before hard reality sets in.  On a more realistic mode, the specialised OSV segment will bear the brunt of lower oil prices just like what Jaya experienced during the GFC. "

3 Oct 14
"I would avoid all O&G support industry players. The O&G replacement cycle has been over extended and I think too many take for granted that it may continue.

Kep Corp, Semb Corp (formerly Sembawang Shipyard) and Semb Marine (Jurong Shipyard) went through a very bad patch in the 90s.

While oil prices are unlikely to revisit those dark ages, I suspect that equipment should be quite adequate to support ongoing E&P for at least the next 15 - 20 years after all these years of renewal.

I used to be covering FELS and they were into power barges in Philippines when they had practically nothing to do back then. It was due to their forays into Philippines power that I shot down VD Horst, an high flying Indonesian back counters backed by Peter Lim and fronted by Kotjo.

Competition is certainly very high in the O&G sector globally now. It is not as safe as it what it protrayed based on last 10 years of excellent track record that happened to coincide with the golden era. If one extend beyond that era, then you will see nothing but hope against unknown.

I have no doubt with the quality of Kep and Semb. However, one should not be too blinded by the global force and headwinds vs an golden era of track record."




(HM : A very golden piece of advice by Sillyinvestor / greengiraffe.  Thank You GG / SI.)

Investing Lessons From A Chef

What can you learn about investing from a chef?

October 19, 2014

Over the weekend, I came upon a heartwarming story of two chefs with very different backgrounds. Apparently, Japanese Chef Asai Masashi (from the yakitori bar, Bincho) enjoyed an octopus dish at the Moosehead restaurant so much that he wandered into the kitchen to ask the chef for a personal cooking lesson. Instead of shoo-ing away the Japanese chef, Spanish chef Manel Valero gladly shared his recipe, and even walked through the recipe with Mr. Masashi.

What began as a cooking lesson among would-be competitors, soon turned to an ongoing a cultural exchange of ideas, and cooking techniques. After all, both chefs had the same appreciation for the same seasonal ingredients.

How does this relate to investing?

Similar to seasonal ingredients, individual investors may be working with the same ingredients (“shares”) but approaching it very differently (“cooking technique”). Some investors may find refuge in the value camp, while others may just prefer the comfort of dividend income dripping into their accounts quarterly.

While it may be fruitful to find a core approach which resonates the best with your own character, Foolish investors may want to occasionally “wander into the kitchens” of other individual investors to learn new perspectives.

Why different perspectives help

Firstly, Motley opinions on the same business is very much welcome here at the Fool. Different individual investors may view a company from a different lens, and the diversity of opinions can help shape a broader thesis by collecting the best thoughts. The goal here should not be to judge who is right or wrong, but to avoid being blindsided by our own limited perspective alone. One way to go about it through our Tug-of-Fools series. The latest version of this series is about Vibrant Group Ltd (SGX:F01).

Investing maestro Peter Lynch once said that companies do not stay in one investing category forever. Therein contains the next reason for learning outside your core investing approach. It follows that when you invest over long periods of time, your chosen company may evolve over the long term. If you are able to adapt your investing approach according to how the business changes, you may come up with sharper insight, and more relevant conclusions.

For instance, my colleague Stanley, shared an example here on how a company like Sarine Technologies Ltd (SGX:U77) transformed from a turnaround situation (2007-2009) to a growth story (2012 onwards). In this case, knowing more relevant ways to recognize, and value a turnaround situation might have helped the growth investor come up tops from such a scenario.

Foolish bottom line

On a personal note, I have my own go-to approach to Foolish long term investing. That said, having a core approach does not preclude me from continuing to seek new perspectives, and new ways at looking at the same topics.

As a Foolish investor, we can benefit in many ways from our own long term holdings. Perhaps most of all, long term investing also comes with learning for the long term, and continuing to refine our approach. It is from this fulfilling approach that we can continue to reap benefits for the years to come.

Motley Fool Singapore
Chin Hui Leong

At least 113 staffers at US Fed earn more than Yellen

Friday, 17 Oct 2014 | 10:39 AM ET

The top 113 earners among staff at the Federal Reserve's Washington headquarters make an average of $246,506 per year, excluding bonuses and other benefits—more than Fed Chair Janet Yellen and nearly double the normal top government rate.

Yellen, whose salary is set by Congress, earns $201,700 a year.

The details on Fed pay were provided to Reuters in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for data on all employees of the U.S. central bank's board whose salaries outstrip $130,810, which is the top of the government's pay scale in most areas.

However, the central bank only provided salaries for staff who make at least $225,000 a year, with some exceptions. It is the first time the list has been made public.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have sponsored a bill that would require the Fed to divulge that information publicly.

Supporters of the Fed say the world's leading central bank needs top talent, and note that its expenses are not covered by taxpayers, but by the income it earns on securities it holds.

Critics, however, think the Fed has too much discretion.

"It certainly bolsters the case for more oversight,'' said Maggie Seidel, a spokeswoman for New Jersey Republican Scott Garrett, a co-sponsor of the bill.

As of July 31, the Fed's inspector general led the list with an annual salary of $312,000, followed by the central bank's four division directors, its general counsel and its chief operating officer, who each earn a base of $265,000.

Despite the relatively high pay of senior managers at the Fed board, the average salary of all its staffers was $121,279, excluding benefits, a figure that lags behind other financial regulators.
(HM : No wonder Yellen is so unhappy with current income gap and inequality)

At the Securities and Exchange Commission, the average salary was $157,946 in 2013, while at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation it was about $130,000. The average at the Commodities Futures Trading Commission was $146,323.

Former Senator Ted Kaufman said it was important for the central bank to hire and retain talented staff who could fetch more in the private sector. Managing directors at large investment banks, for example, usually earn a salary around $250,000 and pull in bonuses that in good times can be double or triple that amount.

Nevertheless, the Delaware Democrat said tracking the Fed's costs was a legitimate concern.

"In the private sector, every business has incentives to keep costs down. In government, you have to overcome the issue that there is no natural need to keep costs down,'' Kaufman said.

Michael Flaherty
Reuters