Market Trends & Consumer Behaviour
UK fintech SumUp explores listing at up to $15bn valuation Summary SumUp, the London-headquartered payments fintech known for its card readers and merchant services, is reported to be exploring a public listing that could value the company at as much as $15bn. The move signals renewed IPO interest among late-stage fintechs and follows a period […]
Donald Trump’s new SEC appointee scraps aggressive enforcement agenda Summary Donald Trump’s recently appointed Securities and Exchange Commission chief has moved away from the aggressive enforcement posture that characterised recent years. The new appointee has signalled a shift in priorities: focusing SEC resources on larger, systemic wrongdoing and stepping back from intrusive tactics for minor […]
This issue is contributing to Las Vegas Valley’s housing crisis, major homebuilder says Summary Major homebuilders and local industry groups say the Bureau of Land Management’s Rights-of-Way (ROW) grant process — needed to run utilities and services across federally controlled land — is creating a bottleneck for new housing in the Las Vegas Valley. The […]
Global study ranks the real value of minimum wages in Asia for 2025 Summary Moorepay analysed statutory minimum wages worldwide and converted them into international dollars using Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) to show the “real value” — i.e. what those wages can actually buy once cost of living differences are considered. Human Resources Online summarises […]
Microsoft’s flexible work update: A return to the office three days a week Summary Microsoft has updated its flexible work expectations, asking employees to be in the office three days a week to encourage in-person collaboration. The change was announced by Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, who said that real-time, in-person […]
Putrajaya aims to strengthen NGOs and social enterprises as part of economic growth push Summary Putrajaya is pushing to bolster Malaysia’s third sector — NGOs, cooperatives and social enterprises — as a deliberate part of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to transition the country towards a high-value, high-growth economy. Datuk Nor Azmie Diron, Secretary-General at […]
A snapshot of Malaysia’s economic performance in Q2 2025 Summary Malaysia’s economy stayed resilient in Q2 2025, with GDP growth of 4.4% year-on-year (2.1% seasonally adjusted). The services sector led the expansion, supported by private consumption and investment, while the labour market continued to strengthen. External trade and investment showed mixed signals: merchandise trade rose […]
OCBC Hong Kong’s “Aspiration Leave” initiative empowers the public to pursue life goals Summary OCBC Hong Kong has launched the “Aspiration Leave” campaign to encourage employees, customers and the wider public to use their leave days to pursue personal goals. The initiative, promoted via the bank’s Instagram account, invited people to share their aspirations and […]
Top 10 most expensive cities for expats in 2025 Summary A Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Asia Competitiveness Institute study forecasts the cost-of-living rankings for 2025 and finds the priciest cities for expatriates are mostly in North America and Western Europe, with Singapore and Hong Kong as notable Asian exceptions. The top 10 […]
Top 10 countries in APAC with the highest maternity pay Summary A Moorepay study ranks APAC markets by the value of statutory paid maternity leave, adjusted for purchasing power parity (international dollars). South Korea tops the APAC list (Intl$48,796 / US$30,300), followed by Singapore and Australia. The research converts national average incomes (World Bank) and […]
