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Do you feel that their 95 feels like esso/shell 92? That's why their 95 is cheaper?

I'm beginning this thread so I can continue to discuss matters on a topic that interests me. I know there is a thread with similar content, but it's become a bit toxic, so if the mods don't mind, I'll start one here? Otherwise go ahead and merge. Basically we have an economic crisis on us, and internationally things are not doing well either. But in spite of this, property prices seem to be headed northwards and the agents will want to tell you, they won't drop. But job losses are on the way, and the capital appreciation on property isn't what it used to be and despite what agents try to tout, one must consider all factors rationally, and see if your money is better served elsewhere. Eg a good benchmark will be the 2.5% that CPF offers. But property remains enticing because it takes a lot more effort and investigation to find alternatives and not all Singaporeans are that hardworking or familiar with the investment instruments available. I wonder what the rest think? Cheers

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/china-oil-giant-enters-singapore-petrol-station-business Or are they joining the cartel?

Hi Bros , Pls feel free to contribute as below ; Latest Prices as of Yesterday ; Mers - CLA 180 146 k after trade-in plus 3.5k svc vouchers .. aggressive pricing Mitsubishi - Lancer 89k , Attrage 79k (Many people signing ) Hyundai - Elantra - Standard 89k , Elite 96k Toyota - Wish 108k Happy car hunting.........

Wonder if in future when gps erp is up, will OCR properties prices be affected jialat jialat. This is assuming if erp gps starts charging the moment leave house till reach office near town or one frequent central area. Moderator, pardon me if I post in wrong category.

Just wondering, in the context of changing car's color, are there cheaper / more expensive colors? Of course only for standard colors and not talking about special effect paint ( Pearl / Reflex / Iridescent / Satin / etc... ) Or is the $$$ differenc negligible?

Bros... Anyone knows why some car ads the price stated is much higher than the prevailing market price? In fact it's even higher than a new purchase? Is it to try to get higher loan for the buyer? http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=489360&DL=1000 But wouldn't the banks check and know this doesn't make sense? Usually how much margin can Seller's try this tactic? Thx

And what is happening here? Come on Singapore, I am sure we can do better, calling major hypermarkets in Singapore, where are you??? Do I have to start queuing at the causeway?..LOL KUALA LUMPUR: The nationwide price reduction campaign, announced by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, has begun even before its March 1 kickoff date. Major hypermarkets taking part in the campaign are already slashing prices by 30 per cent but have pledged, according to the Star online, that the quality of their food and essential items will not be compromised. Hypermarket Aeon Big launched its “Always Low Prices” campaign on January 16. Mydin Mohamed Holdings, another major hypermarket, will lower the prices of 50 essential items following a decline in operating costs. Tesco Malaysia communications manager Rohazida Mohamed said a total of 134 product lines would see a price drop in line with the campaign. GCH Retail, which owns the Giant hypermarket, has pledged that there would be no compromise on quality under its nationwide price reduction campaign. Hypermarkets and supermarkets aside, restaurants have also jumped on the bandwagon to slash prices. Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed said that so far 50 of its members have agreed to reduce their prices by at least 5 per cent. More than 6,000 member clinics of the Muslim Doctors Association of Malaysia (Perdim) have offered a 10 per cent discount on medical charges, reports Bernama. Its president Dr. Ahmad Shukri Ismail said the reduction, which began on Monday, would cover treatment, medication and consultation. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/02/18/nationwide-price-reduction-campaign-before-march-1-kickoff/

Oil prices fell in Asia Wednesday following a three-day rally as dealers were divided on whether the commodity has bottomed out after a plunge of nearly 60% since June, analysts said. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery fell 94 cents to US$52.11 (RM185.73) while Brent crude for March eased 47 cents to US$57.44 in mid-morning trade. WTI soared US$3.48 to US$53.05 Tuesday, its highest close since December 31, while Brent jumped US$3.16 to US$57.91, its best reading since December 30, as dealers cheered signs that the oil industry is tightening exploration activities to cap a supply glut. Ken Hasegawa, an energy trading manager at Newedge Group in Tokyo, said the crude market was "extremely volatile" after the three-day rally that began Friday saw prices surge nearly 20%. "It has become increasingly difficult to discern the direction of the prices of crude oil, but the fundamentals remain unchanged," Hasegawa told AFP. He added that prices could "fluctuate by increasing up to US$10 and falling up to US$10" in the short term. Deep cuts in capital spending by major oil companies, including new announcements Tuesday by BP and BG Group, had suggested there would be tighter supplies in the future. Last week, The Baker Hughes North America rig count report for the week to January 30 showed a drop of 128 rigs to 1,937. That compared with 2,393 a year ago. Some analysts however remain doubtful that the current oil price rebound will be sustained as supplies still outweigh demand in the immediate term. The oil market has lost more than half its value since June, when crude cost more than US$100 a barrel, largely due to a surge in global reserves boosted by robust US shale oil production. The problem was exacerbated in November after the Opec cartel insisted that it would maintain output levels despite plunging prices. The 12-nation group pumps about 30% of global crude. – AFP, February 4, 2015.

http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/01/10/the-truth-behind-high-oil-prices-in-singapore/

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-stocks-mostly-upbeat-us-retail-sales-084209687--finance.html Since utility prices are pegged to oil, why hasn't PUB lowered the electricity tariffs?

I agree, please start with new HDB price slashing by another 40%. Than I say, "You The Man" HDB can stay at current sq/meters but price of 4 & 5 rooms slash ... Yahoo news: Singapore's Home Prices Need to Cool Further: Deputy PM Singapore's longest stretch of property price declines since the global economic crisis may not be sufficient to encourage a relaxation in housing curbs, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Shanmugaratnam, who is also the finance minister, said the government can never get rid of cycles in the real estate market, which it will help cool with housing measures. Shanmugaratnam said: "There is some distance to go in achieving a meaningful correction, after the sharp run-up in prices in recent years. "We can never get rid of cycles in the property market, with the upswings in some years being followed by corrections. Our cooling measures cannot eliminate the cycle, but they aim to temper it. "What this means is avoiding a bubble during the upswing and allowing for a correction in prices subsequently," the minister added. Alan Cheong, senior director of real estate research at Savills in Singapore, told Bloomberg: "The government is signalling that the measures will be in place for a while longer. The curbs may start being rolled back after two to three quarters or maximum in a year." Last week, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said it was still not the right time to terminate the government's cooling measures and that there was still room for prices to moderate. Private home prices on the island dropped 0.7% in the three months to September, marking the fourth straight quarter-on-quarter drop, and bringing the slide over the past twelve months to about four percent. Most Expensive City Singapore has become the most expensive city in the world to live in following a rise in house prices after an influx of foreign workers boosted the island state's wealth and demand for homes. According to a February Economist Intelligence Unit report, titled The Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, a strengthening of the Singaporean dollar also pushed the country to pole position as the expansion of the financial industry contributed to the country's wealth. link: https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapores-home-prices-cool-further-deputy-pm-112102955--finance.html

From 2009 to 2010, I studied hawker centres in Singapore while on a Fulbright Fellowship. Before I even arrived, I came across articles suggesting that first-generation hawkers were dying or retiring, but their children were not taking over. These articles focused on the loss of certain foods and did not consider the potential effect on hawker centres. During my research, I concluded that hawker centres were endangered, though everyone I spoke with believed they would always exist. Since 2010, there have been positive signs: The Government has improved stall rental policies, developed a training programme with master chefs and is building the first new hawker centres since 1986. While these actions will help, I do not believe they are enough. Even the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan has admitted that while it is easy to build new hawker centres, the "key challenge is to find enough Singaporeans willing to enter this profession, which is a difficult, challenging one". For my research, I interviewed about 100 hawkers at 26 different centres across Singapore. The average age of my interviewees was 50, with a range from 33 to 82. I quickly stopped asking about profits because no one wanted to discuss them. A newspaper article earlier this year ("Hawkers unsure of not-for-profit model"; Jan 13) referred to a man who made only slightly more than $10,000 last year. Based on my research, I suspect such low levels of profit are relatively common. Part of the problem is that hawker food is too cheap. While there has been dismay over price increases, in reality they have not increased significantly in recent years. An article last year ("Serving up a good deal for hawkers"; May 30, 2013) noted that overall, the price of chicken rice has increased a mere 50 cents since 1993. In 20 years, the cost of everything else has risen - fuel, raw ingredients, utilities and so on. It is impossible for hawkers to make decent profit margins if public opinion does not allow them to raise their prices to keep pace. Beyond this financial reality, the reasons people become hawkers are also posing additional challenges for the long-term outlook of hawker centres. The overwhelming majority (69 per cent) of those I interviewed had entered the trade because of family. Only 6 per cent quoted a passion for cooking as their motivation. There was a notable level of dissatisfaction among hawkers, mainly among those who had switched from other careers. I spoke to a 37-year-old engineer who had taken over his father's stall against his father's wishes. When I asked the son what he liked best, he responded: "Actually, I don't like anything." He cited the long hours and resulting loss of a social life as the most difficult aspect. This dissatisfaction is understandable, given that 70 per cent of the hawkers I interviewed worked at least 12 hours per day and 38 per cent of those worked at least 14 hours per day. No one I interviewed worked fewer than nine hours per day. In addition to the long hours and low profit margins, being a hawker involves physically exhausting work in a hot environment. Consequently, it is not seen as a career path for those with higher levels of education. Many of my interviewees did not know what would happen to their stalls in the future, but 32 per cent told me their children would not take over, pointing out that they were better-educated and could therefore get better jobs. If the main reason people become hawkers is to help their families, and that trend is declining as education and corresponding opportunities for better jobs are increasing, where will the next generation of hawkers come from? I'm just an ang moh (Caucasian foreigner) and I can't claim to know what's best for Singapore. But I do know that more action is needed to save hawker centres. And it's not the Government's responsibility to try to save them - it's everyone's. First, the public should accept moderate price increases so that hawkers can make decent profits and have a higher quality of life. If this would make food too expensive for low-income citizens, perhaps the Government could offer them subsidised food cards. Similarly, perhaps the Government could consider offering all hawkers subsidised rental rates. This could make entering the profession more appealing by increasing the potential for profits and the ability to achieve a work-life balance. Others have suggested that raising the profile of hawkers might encourage people to enter the profession. The government could apply for hawker centre culture to be added to Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. If successful, this designation would significantly raise the profile of hawkers and hawker centres both abroad and at home. Recent television shows such as Wok Stars, in which celebrity chefs Alvin Leung and Willin Low whip into shape a handful of hawker-wannabes, have already attempted to glamorise the hawker profession. However, I would encourage the organisers to offer a prize of free rent at an actual hawker centre, rather than a private food court. If all else fails, serious consideration should be given to allowing foreigners to become hawkers, provided they have completed the training programme. While there is an inherent irony in turning over a cultural institution to foreigners, cooking skills and recipes can be taught. Besides, foreigners already cook in private food centres and coffee shops. Ultimately, whatever path is chosen, hawkers and hawker centres are endangered and should be treated with the respect and acclaim accorded to any other cultural treasure. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/opinion/more-opinion-stories/story/public-must-accept-rise-hawker-food-prices-20140815

In HK, it costs more to house the dead than the living Jun 4, 2014 11:00am 1 2 0 3 In Hong Kong, it costs more to house the dead than the living. There’s one thing even Hong Kong’s more than 40 billionaires will struggle to buy – a final resting place on their home turf. Land shortages in the late 1970s forced Hong Kong to ban construction of new permanent burial sites, and public cemeteries were ordered to ensure the remains of the deceased be exhumed and cremated after six years to make way for newcomers. The policy has done little to alleviate the grave shortage in a city where more than 40,000 people die each year. Some can get lucky if relatives choose to have the remains of a loved one removed from a public burial site to be cremated, opening the prized permanent space to a lottery system, but plots may only come available every few years. The only other way is if the deceased is a member of a church that has a private graveyard with a plot available, a very rare instance that can cost up to $486,000 (HK$3 million). “In Hong Kong, people cannot buy a final resting place even if they have all the money in the world,” said Hoi Pong Kwok, funeral director at Heung Fok Undertaker. “The government doesn’t just have to settle housing needs for the living. It also needs to address those of the dead.” In land-hungry Hong Kong, where more than 7 million people are packed into just 30 percent of the territory, failure to vacate a plot after six years means bodies will be exhumed by the government, cremated and put in a communal grave. While the funeral policy has resulted in a surge in the number of people being cremated – 90 percent of the city’s dead were cremated in 2013, up from 38 percent in 1975 – cremation is by no means the answer for those seeking a resting place. WAITING GAME Securing a niche in a public columbarium – a drab concrete structure where urns are placed – can take up to five years and there are officially more than 21,800 deceased on the waiting list for a space, which costs more than HK$3,000 ($486). Funeral service providers say there are a further 100,000 jars of remains stored in funeral homes or at funeral companies across the city, some of which are also waiting for plots. Those who can’t stand the wait must pay as much as HK$1 million ($162,021) for a niche about the size of a sheet of A4 paper in a privately owned crematorium. At Lung Shan Temple in Fanling district, a private plot measuring 63 square inches (0.04 square metres) with “the most auspicious position” costs HK$1.8 million ($291,638). With a luxury home in Hong Kong costing roughly HK$151,389 ($24,528) per square metre, that means it’s more expensive to house the dead than the living. “You have the green dragon on the left and the white tiger on the right,” said an agent surnamed Tang, describing the supreme “feng shui” of the high-end niche. “Permanent burial sites are not available any more. We don’t even have enough space for the living,” said Barry Law, sales manager at Fortune Wealth Memorial Park Ltd. In Hong Kong, even death provides little relief from the city’s sky-high property prices. “It’s not easy to afford a piece of land in Hong Kong, even after death,” Kwok said. Source: Reuters - See more at: http://www.tnp.sg/news/hk-it-costs-more-house-dead-living?utm_content=buffer21080&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.e79mPlRh.dpuf HUAT ah!!

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) recently announced a 42 percent increase in Certificate of Entitlement (COE) quotas for the May - July period. How do you think COE prices will move in this quarter? http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=10142

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New car prices going to hit an all time high very very soon. car dealers will take advantage of the recent coe reclassification to increase prices. what you all think? will there be an even stronger demand for 2nd hand cars?

Hey folks... Seems like used car prices are being controlled by dealers Crazy market put there... Is there a way for genuine buyers & sellers to match one another? After 4 days of intensive sgcarmart fingering & 1 day of checking out dealers, I feel like everywhere chop carrot

I love Vin Diesel's reaction..

I like it when Van Diesel said,"The moral of the Story. Don't buy cars in Singapore." Razor TV

A game changer?? HDB policy to drag private pries?

Realise a trend now in dealers' pricing. For example, 2 almost same specs n year bmw 320, 100% loan, dealer asking 190k. PPSL selling 170k if DP 50%. Wearnes Pre Own div seems to be dropping abt 20k per car as compared to ah beng dealers who are still either holding or upping prices.

wah i think i stuck in well.... all those buy new car i will salute! Altis at 140k, Rav4 at 210k, Camry 180k... etc etc.... sibeh huat sia......

knn... oil price drop until like that.... why didnt I see petrol price drop also?? $87 is like 2006 oil price level??? At that time, how much is the petrol?? follow the link here: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-N...onomic-warnings

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-propert...-100958749.html HUAT ARR!