Broker's calls on the 30 stocks of Straits Times Index

The FISCA website has a summary of the recommendations of brokers (buy, sell or hold) on the 30 stocks in the Straits Times Index.  These are the blue chips of Singapore. This is now available for viewing by members and non-members. In future, this type of information will be provided only the members of FISCA, after they have logged in.

Here is the direct link to the article.

Tribute to our teachers

What does a teacher really do? Here is a tribute to our teachers. 

Promoting fair competition

When a few maid agencies get together to agree on the salary for maids, the Competition Commission in Singapore came hard down on them for infringing the competition law.  I wonder if action is being taken against the small businesses that cannot afford expensive lawyers to fight their case. I also wonder if the illegal practices are being following by big businesses that have a much bigger impact on consumers.

Read this story about the call by the law makers in USA to ask the Attorney General to investigate the practice of the banks.  Maybe our law makers and regulators in Singapore can also be more active in looking after the interest of the people, so that the cost of living (which touches the pockets of all Singaporeans) can be moderated?

Oil speculation and cost of living

The financial industry claim that they help to make the market more efficient by getting the right price for each product - using the efficient market theory. This is theory. In reality, the speculation in the market gives the chance for the professionals to make large profits at the expense of the consumers. This article explains what happens and the effect on households. This is why I support the effort of the US regulators to place controls on financial speculation by large banks and hedge funds. Our leaders in Singapore need to realize what is really happening, when they promote Singapore as a financial hub. http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/13/news/economy/gasoline_cost_speculation/index.htm?section=money_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmoney_topstories+%28Top+Stories%29

A better yield for CPF members

In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the then Finance Minister, promised a better yield for CPF members by introducing private pension schemes. This suggestion was covered in this report. http://tankinlian.com/admin/file.aspx?id=575.  If he had followed through with his suggestion, Singaporeans would have been better off today.

Remaining anonymous

I suggested in my Facebook that people should give their views with their names, rather than anonymously. Walter Oh replieed:


 "This is not any ordinary state, the regime here is hypocrite to the core. They may laugh/smile at face value, but behind your back, planning otherwise ... Under such climate. it is better for people to remain annonymous, until a day, where Singapore is really democratic, and the regime willing to listen to alternative voices ... Take the recent President election as an example, why must Singaporeans vote for PAP sanctioned candidate, the brain washed electorate here cannot even distinguish between sincere people willing to go the extra mile from those who just want to keep/maintain status quo ... End up, who's at the losing end, Singaporeans ..."