Investing in Singapore banks?

Just read an article in CNA and I am just thinking out loud if it is still a good idea to invest in Singapore banks?

Southeast Asia's biggest bank has said demand for home and car loans in Singapore has plunged this year following government measures to cool inflation.

DBS Group's chief executive, Piyush Gupta, told Channel NewsAsia new home loan demand fell by 50 to 60 per cent last month.

He said lending this year is unlikely to match 2012.

.... Mr Gupta said much of the bank's Singapore operations lose money and Indonesia is the focus for growth this year.

Read full article: here.

Related posts:
1. More cooling measures on the way?
2. Cooling measures for cars.

First REIT: DPU to increase!

First REIT is going to acquire two new hospitals in Indonesia for $190.4 m.

1. Siloam Hospitals Bali.
Purchase price: $97.3 m.
Annual base rent: $9.7m.
Financed by a drawdown of committed debt facility.

2. Siloam Hospitals TB Simatupang (South Jakarta).
Purchase price: $93.1 m.
Annual base rent: $9.3m.
Financed by a combination of a drawdown of committed debt facility and issuance of new units to the REIT's sponsor.

For anyone investing for income, an important question is how would these actions affect the DPU?

Well, even with the issuance of new units to the REIT's sponsor, unitholders will still enjoy a 5.47% increase in DPU on a per annum basis. The estimated full year DPU including these acquisitions is 6.94c.

Mr. Market certainly likes the news as the REIT's unit price rose 3.5c to close at $1.23 per unit. At this price, the projected distribution yield is 5.64%.

Yield has certainly compressed very much compared to those days when I bought at between 42c to 76c per unit.

So, is it still good to buy at current prices? It would depend on what is our definition of "good".

See announcement: here.

Related posts:
1. REITs: When to buy?
2. Do not love unless it is worth the loving.

A bad experience in a local bank.

One would think that after the Lehman Brothers Mini-bonds incident, things would have changed on the banking floors here. However, if my sister's experience yesterday at a reputable local bank was anything to go by, not much has changed on the ground.

I see dark clouds again.

She went to the bank to deposit my niece's savings in a fixed deposit but was approached by a male banker who tried to convince her to put the money in a "bond" which would supposedly give her a 5% return instead.

He told her that there was no lock in period and that the 5% return was better than the 1% which the one year fixed deposit would pay in interest...

Waiting for more information? You would be disappointed. Now, how many aunties and uncles would have taken up the offer right there and then?

Well, my sister asked questions! Good on her!

Bonds? Who am I lending money to?
Answer: XXX (name of the bank she was at) lah.

Is this some kind of unit trust?
Answer: No, no. You are lending money to XXX.

What is the catch?
Answer: The catch is you get 5% per annum lor.

There are no fees?
Answer: You can sell anytime. There are no fees when you sell.

What about fees when I buy?
Answer: There is a 3% fee.

So, before I make any money, I would have lost 3%?
Answer: But you will get 5% per annum.

XXXX offered me a product too. Capital is guaranteed. What about this?
Answer: This won't lose money one. See? I show you the chart. The value keeps going up.

So, nothing is guaranteed?
Answer: The projected returns is very good. See the chart?

HOCUS POCUS! POOF!

If I had been there, the "banker" would have been blasted by me big time! I would have asked to see his branch manager. I would have suggested that this person be sent for corrective training. Indeed, how are these "bankers" trained?

Misrepresentations aplenty!

I get very agitated when I hear of such incidents. Why do people resort to such trickery to close deals? Why can't they be honest?

Related posts:
1. Know what is good for us.
2. Inflation adjusted retirement income plan.

Want to make big money? Must drink this!

I have used the example of how we can save on super atas coffee and to drink less expensive coffee for the masses. Of course, I am assuming that all of us are of the masses.

I went one step further by suggesting not drinking coffee at kopitiams but to bring our own 3in1 coffee mix to work. Wah! Save even more!

Of course, if our workplace has a well-stocked pantry, we get free coffee! Win already lor!

However, with cost of doing business in Singapore rising, we could be seeing office pantries becoming less well stocked or having cheaper alternatives.

Today, I was rather amused that the familiar Nescafe coffee in our pantry has been replaced by:

A must drink for all investors and traders every morning!

Gong Hei Fatt Choi!

Huat ah!

Related post:
A common piece of advice on saving.