-- 根据周三提交给新加坡交易所的文件，Beng Kuang Marine（SGX：BEZ）已获得新加坡交易所原则性批准，拟以每股0.35新加坡元的价格发行至多5710万股对价股份。 这些股份与该公司收购Asian Sealand Offshore and Marine剩余的49%股份有关。
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Asia
Australia Inflation Heats Up in March, Pressuring Central Bank
Jolted by fuel and housing costs, Australia's consumer price index (CPI) rose further above central bank targets in March, possibly setting the stage for more rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).The nation's CPI rose 4.6% on year in March, a jump up from the 3.7% rate logged in February, and striking the highest level since September of 2023, reported the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday.Australia's CPI rose 1.1% in March from February alone, added the ABS.The RBA, which has a 2% to 3% annual inflation target band on the CPI, has already raised rates twice this year to cool off inflation.Australian consumers faced housing costs up 6.5% on year in March, while transport bills rose 8.9% on year, due in large part to a 32.8% surge in automotive fuel prices, said ABS.However, another metric of consumer prices, the trimmed mean annual inflation rate, was unchanged at 3.3% in the 12 months to March, said the ABS. In general, the trimmed mean rate removes outliers on the low and high end of price movements.The RBA is slated to meet next week to again ponder monetary policy.As of Tuesday, even before the ABS inflation report, the RBA Rate Tracker estimated the odds at 76% that the central bank would raise rates to 4.35% from 4.10%.
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Asia
South Korean Hits Record High as AI Optimism Overcomes OpenAI Growth Concerns
South Korean shares closed at a new high on Wednesday, with technology stocks posting strong gains as investors expected chip demand to remain robust due to the AI sector.The country's primary index, Kospi, opened lower in the day, tracking losses on Wall Street due to ChatGPT founder OpenAI missing internal revenue and user targets in the first quarter. However, local appetite for chipmakers and hardware providers quickly offset the negative sentiment surrounding U.S. software startups.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi rose 49.88 points, or 0.8%, to end at 6,690.9. The Kosdaq also increased by 4.68 points, or 0.4%, to close at 1,220.26.In economic news, South Korea's bank deposit rates declined in March while borrowing costs also continued to decrease, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday.The average interest rate on new deposits fell one basis point to 2.82% from the previous month, while rates on outstanding deposits also shed one basis point to 2.00%.New loan rates declined six basis points from the previous month to 4.20%, and the average rate on outstanding loans was unchanged at 4.27% at the end of March.In corporate news, Hanwha Engine (KRX:082740) posted first-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of 52.9 billion won, up 172% from 19.4 billion won a year earlier, according to a Wednesday filing with the Korea Exchange.The South Korean marine engine producer's sales rose 8.5% year over year to 345.2 billion won from 318.2 billion won.Shares of Hanwha Engine added over 8% at market close.
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International
Italian Business Confidence Falls in April; Consumer Sentiment Down
Italy's business confidence index fell to 95.2 points in April from 97.3 points in March, according to data from statistics agency Istat published Wednesday.For the manufacturing sector, the confidence index declined to 87.9 points in April from the revised 88.7 points previously. The consensus estimate stood at 88 points.Meanwhile, Italian consumer confidence was 90.8 points, against the prior 92.6 points and the expected 91.2 points.
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