Everyday I wake up I read the newspaper if its an afternoon paper. Right now, much like a regular blog, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on some interesting news I find nowadays.
SGX-ASX merger
Ok I'm not one to go straight for economic news (I find it positively boring!) cause I know nuts about 'liquidation', 'assets', 'default' or whatever. However, I find this one interesting because there's a lot of politics involved, especially on the Australian side (Of course, this is reported by our own news, so I can't be sure if there isn't some level of bias).
So if you don't follow the news, here's the breakdown. Singapore has made an $11 Billion dollar bid for the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Now, I don't know much about economics as I've said, but from what I know a stock exchange buys and trades shares, and helps companies list their own shares, so by buying over the Aussies, we technically merge all the companies listed under both, which gives us tremendous potential, much like how the South East Asian nations pooled together to form a large single production base called ASEAN.
With this merger, both countries' stock exchange will become very attractive in the Asia-Pacific region, given the tremendous size the stock exchange becomes. It may even be a threat to Hong Kong's stock exchange which is the largest in the region. (Helped largely by the gargantuan number of companies that list themselves in, for the fact that the Chinese Government laws that all comapnies that set up in China list in Hong Kong)
Here's the problem. Shareholders for either exchanges have their shares 'diluted' because the merger makes their stake in the exchange smaller in comparism (I think). So they will naturally protest. At the same time, some form of Xenophobia (I don't know if this is true, I think its rather tragic Singapore is also attacking Australia, though its just an opnion).
Here's where my views come in:
Perhaps, maybe Australia has these negative feelings towards Asians all along. I mean, if I think about it, Australia is a very different, very western country, in what I would consider the middle of nowhere, where just a large pool of salt water (called the Indian Ocean) stands in between 800 million South East Asians. At the same time, it has been attacked by Asians before! Remember World War II when Japan did strike at Australia?
And here and there we are hearing reports of Indian students being attacked by nationalistic Australians. Of course, to be fair, Australia is a generally friendly country, and these cases are exceptions. But are there underlying xenophobics? I don't know, maybe, and here's why.
Australian politicians are targetting our alleged 'appalling human rights track record'. Even so, well I don't give a dam what they think, cause I'm having a good life here really, and by the way, our economy PWNS them. I'm just saying.
I'm reading a lot of comments such as 'Repressive Authoritarian State' and 'Insult to freedom of speech' about us, and actually, there's no denying it, we aren't as 'free' as America or whatever. But guess what, we have racial harmony and are one of the least corrupt countries ever.
Maybe they just feel its not right that a small little red dot is in control of one of their prized assets. Heck, I was really surprised we even had the capacity to buy over them. I mean, I get that you know? But are we really taking away what they own? Like I said, I don't know much about economics so I can't tell.
HEH looks like I used up most of my self-imposed posting limit without talking about other news. I guess this piece of news is just so darn interesting? Or am I just a weirdo? OK time to crawl back into my cave <--- Jaren taught me that.
Why no more of my photography or music? OK I'll try and seive an old piece of photography out.
Have I posted this before? Can't remember. Malaysia. Yeah its pretty louzy I know haha, I got no more good pics liao.
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