CCTV of Kim's last moment in KL airport.

China is developing the next generation supercomputer.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0220/c90000-9179877.html

This is truly a breakthrough and China can do a lot of simulations with this supercomputer especially for military developments.  I didn't know a supercomputer could generate almost USD$1.5b of economic benefits. WOW!

USA new travel ban is coming!

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/u-travel-ban-spare-green-card-holders-trump-022826298.html

This is a less intrusive ban but is still discriminating against muslims.

USA is creating troubles in South China Sea again.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/us-aircraft-carrier-strike-group-patrolling-china-sea-073854173.html

It will be interesting to see how USA will continue to insist on freedom of navigation when China 2nd aircraft carrier is operational in 2020.  By then, the liaoning carrier (first carrier) will be more combat ready than today.  USA will have to deal with 2 carriers in 2020.

How to be sanguine about Singapore economy when more countries are bypassing our port?

As time passes, there will be more countries transporting goods from east to west without passing through Singapore because of the new land and sea routes developed by China.  How to continue to be a strategic sea hub like this?  Without our strategic sea hub status, Singapore economy will definitely suffer.

China and Britain are fostering closer relationship now.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0217/c90000-9179229.html

As the railway freight has started operations between UK and China, UK and China will foster a deeper relationship and the railway freight volumes will pick up tremendously in the future.  This will definitely lead to a reduced sea freights that have to pass through Singapore.

China land freights are picking up and replacing the sea freights.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0217/c90000-9179342.html

Pakistan and China are bypassing Singapore and there'll be more trades which will bypass Singapore.  Singapore is fast losing its strategic sea hub importance now.

Today, Friday, February 17 2017, the Baltic Dry Index climbed by 31 points, reaching 741 points.

Baltic Dry Index is compiled by the London-based Baltic Exchange and covers prices for transported cargo such as coal, grain and iron ore. The index is based on a daily survey of agents all over the world. Baltic Dry hit a temporary peak on May 20, 2008, when the index hit 11,793. The lowest level ever reached was on Wednesday the 10th of February 2016, when the index dropped to 290 points.

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Related stocks: Sembcorp marine, Cosco.

US rig count - 751

HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 10 this week to 751.

A year ago, 514 rigs were active.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 597 rigs sought oil and 153 explored for natural gas this week. One was listed as miscellaneous.

Texas increased by 16 rigs and Utah gained one.

Louisiana lost three rigs, New Mexico declined by two and Alaska, North Dakota and Oklahoma each lost one.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming were all unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May at 404.

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Related stocks : Keppel corp, Sembcorp marine, Cosco.

UFO fleet captured by ISS cam.

Latest feed by ISS and UFO fleet was passing by.

Will Ezra affect DBS like Swiber did?

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/dbs-ceo-signals-bank-may-054528673.html

DBS CEO said there's nothing wrong with Swiber before it exploded.  DBS didn't give a full account of EZRA exposure and state the worst was over.  If EZRA explodes, DBS would get hit again because of the under provision.

Singapore stock calls for 17 February 2017

Singapore non-oil domestic exports (NODX)

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapores-non-oil-domestic-exports-rise-86-year-on-year-in-january

Something looks dicey from the statistics.  Year on year changes denote marginal diminishing growth.

Jan 2017: 8.6%
Dec 2016: 9.1%
Nov 2016: 15.6%

Singapore depends heavily on China for our economic growth as it is our largest export market.  Therefore, it is not advisable to pursue USA interest to contain China.

Japan is educating its new generation with its own history.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0216/c90000-9178801.html

Here we go again! Japan is brainwashing its students and whitewashing its history.  This is the reason why we must insist Japan to apologize for its atrocities in WW2 until it stops its stupidity act.  UN had already archived the Nanjing massacre on its documentation and Japan would only be confusing its citizens when they visited countries outside of Japan to learn more about its atrocities.

Singapore stock calls for 16 February 2017

LTA is one of the HSR project winners.

http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/02/212902/winners-jdp-contract-kl-singapore-hsr-project-announced

This is indeed surprising as LTA has no experience in building HSR. The only experience LTA has is in MRT & LRT.  HSR is a more advanced technology than the normal railway because of its high speed.  I just hope the HSR doesn't break down or delay as often as our MRT/LRT.  Malaysia corporation also has no experience in HSR.  This is indeed a blind leads blind project development.  I wonder how did Malaysia evaluate the whole HSR project as safety would be very important.  Nonetheless, I'm happy to know that we're involved in the HSR project and we can learn a great deal with the on the job training.

FED is expected to reduce its massive treasuries holdings in 2017.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fed-ready-shrink-4-5t-150600369.html

We've reported this in early Feb and its impacts.

Please read our posting below.

http://sg-stock.blogspot.my/2017/02/is-usa-bond-market-going-to-explode-soon.html

Singapore banks are in deep troubles!

Singapore banks have huge doubtful loans in the oil & gas industries because of under provisions.  The banks have to increase the provisions significantly by as much as 2/3 which will affect their earnings in 2017.

https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-02-15/collateral-damage-in-singapore?cmpid=yhoo.headline&yptr=yahoo

China 2nd aircraft carrier will be launched in 2017

http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0215/c90000-9177918.html

It will be harder for USA to contain China soon.  Great news for China but bad news for USA!

Driverless flying taxi will be operational in Dubai in 2017

Wow! Dubai is so advanced now!  More high tech than SG!