SINGAPORE: Brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance has named the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) as Singapore’s most valuable brand for the 14th consecutive year in its Singapore 100 2026 report. Changi Airport, meanwhile, was named the strongest brand for the year.

Changi Airport achieved a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.2 out of 100 and an AAA+ rating, the highest accolade for brand strength awarded by Brand Finance, while DBS, which was also ranked the fourth strongest Singaporean brand, achieved a BSI score of 88.5. The bank also ranked the seventh most valuable bank in the Asia Pacific (APAC).

Both companies recorded higher brand values. DBS’ brand value rose 8% to US$18.6 billion (S$23.74 billion), driven by its regional expansion and diversification, while Changi Airport’s increased 16% to US$889 million, supported by record passenger traffic, expanded connectivity, and continued service excellence.

Meanwhile, Telechoice International, a regional diversified provider and enabler of innovative info-communications products and services, ranked as the city-state’s fastest-growing brand after its brand value surged 288% to US$52.7 million, thanks to strong demand in semiconductor-related segments, higher sales volumes, and targeted investments in high-growth product lines.

Overall, Singapore’s top 100 brands grew 7% year-on-year (YoY) to US$84.1 billion, the report added. /TISG

Read also: SIA Group’s March passenger traffic rises amid Middle East disruptions

This article (DBS remains Singapore’s most valuable brand; Changi Airport strongest in 2026) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singapore is seeing higher demand for solar panels, according to solar firms, as homeowners explore alternative energy options amid rising electricity costs triggered by the Middle East war.

Earlier this month, International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Fatih Birol told the French conservative Le Figaro newspaper that the global energy crisis would push countries towards renewable energy such as solar and wind, “within a few months,” as these are quicker to install.

According to Channel News Asia, local providers such as GetSolar and FOMO Energy reported a surge in solar panel installations and enquiries from landed homeowners, as well as condominium residents and commercial clients.

In fact, GetSolar’s installations jumped fourfold this month compared to previous months, while its enquiries in March alone doubled compared to February. FOMO Energy enquiries from residential homeowners also rose by over 60% since early March.

However, at a time when interest in solar panels has never been stronger, especially among condominium residents, adoption is still catching up.

Condos have limited and shared rooftop space, which restricts solar panel installation size. Solar projects may also be less financially attractive because condos usually run on a single main meter, so excess solar power cannot be easily exported to the national grid and must be used within the building.

On top of that, approval for installation takes time, as solar projects typically require consent from Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) councils and, in some cases, residents, unlike landed homes. Although other property types also come with limits.

Shophouses may face space or structural constraints due to the age of the building, while those in conservation areas must meet additional regulatory requirements.

Still, despite these constraints, industry players expect more property owners in Singapore to turn to solar power in the years ahead. /TISG

Read also: About 8 in 10 Singapore firms hold off workplace changes amid high energy prices

This article (Singapore starts seeing higher demand for solar panels, solar firms say) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

UNITED STATES: Meta will reportedly begin its planned first wave of layoffs on May 20, cutting 10%, or about 8,000, of its global workforce, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the plans.

The sources also said there are further layoffs in the second half of the year, although details such as timing and size have not been finalised. Plans may also change depending on developments in artificial intelligence capabilities, they added.

Amid reports of the upcoming layoffs, Business Insider reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that Meta “quietly” hired two founding members of artificial intelligence research and product company Thinking Machines Lab, Mark Jen and Yinghai Lu, along with AI researcher Tianyi Zhang, who all previously worked at Meta.

The three, who are recent departures from the US$12 billion AI startup founded by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, have not yet disclosed their move on LinkedIn.

Other companies that have had massive layoffs include Amazon, Block, and Oracle.

So far this year, 73,212 tech employees have lost their jobs, according to data from Layoffs.fyi. While many companies have been citing AI-driven efficiency as a reason for job cuts, analysts argued that companies have been “AI-washing” layoffs instead of citing other reasons for the cuts. /TISG

Read also: ‘So this is what AI will drive’: Workers react as PwC partner pay rises amid AI push and fewer staff

This article (Meta to begin first wave of layoffs on May 20, cutting about 8,000 jobs, with more layoffs expected later: Reports) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A snap poll by the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) found that about eight in 10 firms have held off workforce or workplace changes in direct response to higher energy prices triggered by the Middle East conflict, as firms look to manage costs without affecting staff.

Meanwhile, among the 17% that did make changes, most froze hiring or delayed expansion plans (67%). Others redeployed or cross-trained staff (33%), or reduced headcount through natural attrition (33%). Some firms also cut bonuses, allowances or benefits (25%), or reduced work hours, overtime or shifts (19%).

Nearly all firms (96%) reported higher operating costs due to rising energy prices, while 53% said they are concerned about manpower cost pressures.

Should energy prices remain elevated over the next 12 months amid ongoing Middle East tensions, 83% of businesses said cost support, such as tax relief or financing assistance, would be most helpful, followed by energy cost relief and subsidies (77%) and delays to manpower policy changes (55%).

SNEF conducted the snap poll between April 10 and 16, 2026, drawing responses from 210 companies across the manufacturing, services and construction sectors, of which 73% were small and medium-sized enterprises and the rest large firms.

Inflation driven by the Middle East conflict has already started to affect businesses. Celebrations in the little red dot, which often include helium balloons as decorations, are expected to become more expensive as helium costs have risen by as much as 40%.

Even hawker food, often seen as an affordable everyday meal option for many Singaporeans, is already seeing higher prices amid rising ingredient costs, energy prices and fuel-related surcharges. /TISG

Read also: ‘I’m job hugging even harder’: Some Singaporeans share how they’re navigating rising costs amid the Middle East war

This article (About 8 in 10 Singapore firms hold off workplace changes amid high energy prices) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Concerns over beauty and massage parlours taking over neighbourhood shops have surfaced online, after small business owners in Singapore shared on r/Singapore how rising rents are eating into most of their revenue, leaving them little to no profit. Many shuttered shops, they said, are increasingly being replaced by beauty and massage parlours.

One commenter said the trend is not only hurting small businesses, particularly food and beverage (F&B) shops, but also discouraging new entrepreneurs.

“It kills young entrepreneurs or any entrepreneurs trying to make a difference in the neighbourhood… because of the cost, there’s a lot of ideas that don’t generate that high of a revenue and margin to be viable,” he said, calling the trend “a cancer to neighbourhood shopping areas.”

Another added, “I don’t think we can have such entrepreneurs anymore with the killer rentals,” while a third shared that a long-running Malay stall he liked in Jurong East, known for its “sedap” curry puffs and other Malay finger food, had been replaced by hair salons.

He said, “I still miss the stall. Hope they continue their business somewhere else and are not closed permanently.”

Small business owners on the brink of closing their shops, or who have already closed, lamented similar concerns.

One who’s renting an HDB shophouse said he may have to give up the business when his lease ends this year, after his landlord sold the unit for nearly S$3 million. 

“As it is, rent is taking up 40% of my revenue (not profit). But people will say, it’s supply and demand, and if you can’t keep your business afloat, you shouldn’t be doing one blah blah blah. It’s really sad when we see shops closing and being replaced by massage/beauty parlours,” he said.

Others shared rental increases of up to 120% in the span of three years, with one saying his friend’s small phone shop, which was doing rather well, had to close after the landlord doubled the rent upon lease renewal.

“All these stores cannot commercially survive with such rents and make a decent living. That’s why we see all the childhood snacks gone. Replaced with salons that do S$1 haircuts,” another added.

To curb rising rents, Senior Minister of State for National Development Sun Xueling told Parliament in September that the board may acquire privately owned HDB shop units “if needed” and expand the supply of those it leases out in heartland areas.

Still, some netizens questioned how long their hard-earned money would “feed these landlords only.” /TISG

Read also: HDB coffee shops can now opt out of budget meal initiative

This article (‘It kills young entrepreneurs’: Netizens raise concerns as beauty, massage parlours take over neighbourhood shops) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans may soon have to pay more for celebrations as party businesses struggle against rising helium costs amid the Middle East conflict. Major producers of helium, a by-product of natural gas production, include the United States and Qatar.

Singapore’s one-stop party and gift shop Misty Daydream reportedly said new tanks of helium cost up to 40% more than before the Iran war, while SgBalloons, a creative decorations provider for events, said it was quoted about 27% more per tank when they made an order about two weeks ago.

Misty Daydream also said higher diesel prices pushed up their delivery costs and overall operating expenses.

Both companies told Channel News Asia they are absorbing the added costs for now instead of passing them on to customers.

Three weeks ago, Sgballoons posted on Instagram that they’re keeping their prices frozen for March despite an increase in their operating costs amid rising global costs for helium and fuel.

Currently, both companies are working on diversifying their offerings and reducing reliance on gas.

Celebrations aside, the squeeze from the Middle East conflict could also push up prices of hawker meals, as hawkers grapple with higher ingredient costs, energy prices and fuel-related surcharges. /TISG

Read also: ‘I’m job hugging even harder’: Some Singaporeans share how they’re navigating rising costs amid the Middle East war

This article (Singaporeans may have to pay more for celebrations as helium costs rise up to 40% amid Middle East conflict) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: What if your friends’ advice ends up doing you more harm than good? A 26-year-old diploma holder who lost his job in the banking and finance industry after a company restructuring vented online about how challenging it has become to find a decent-paying job.

He said that after attending numerous interviews, he had only received job offers worth around S$1,500, adding that he believed this was because he only had a diploma and not a degree.

To make matters worse, while still jobless, he revealed that he now has over S$20,000 in debt after turning to gambling, following his friends’ suggestion that it could be a source of “extra income”.

Commenters on The Independent Singapore’s Facebook page, however, questioned why his so-called friends would advise him to turn to gambling instead of encouraging him to keep searching for better job opportunities.

One commenter said, “If your friends had suggested that you gamble, then maybe you need better friends. If anyone can win in gambling, then no one will work…And even if someone can make the rare occasional win, 99.99% of the people will end up losing money in the long term. Just bear this in mind before you gamble,” while others suggested he cut off communication with those friends.

Another commenter added, “The only reason gambling businesses exist is that they make money. No one would open a gambling business if it were not profitable!”

Several others offered encouragement and suggested taking on part-time jobs instead.

A 59-year-old mother who had also previously lost her job once encouraged him and shared her experience, saying, “You are young. Keep trying or get a part-time job. I used to work 16 hours when I was 26 years old. Take care of my kids, aged 5 and 3 years. My hubby was sick and jobless most of the time. I worked the night shift. Now I am 59 years old. I worked in retail and switched jobs recently. I am a driver now. I worked long hours till my kids finished poly. Now they are working. I like working and don’t depend on my kids for pocket money. Don’t lose hope and don’t go down the wrong path.”

According to Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), gamblers and their families, who often have to struggle with financial and debt problems, as well as guilt, anxiety and even depression, can seek assistance through NCPG’s helpline at 1800-6-668-668, or check here for more information on counselling services. /TISG

Read also: Laid-off tech professional finds job after 14 months, shares advice for job seekers: ‘I am seeing light at the end of this tunnel’

This article (Jobless diploma holder racks up more than S$20K debt after gambling on friends’ advice) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A netizen has warned diners to be cautious about food outlets’ online reviews after claiming the Google rating of a food chain he visited in Tampines jumped from two to four plus stars in a day.

In a post on r/SingaporeRaw, he said he had a “pretty bad experience” at the food chain and felt the rating at the time, about two stars, matched what he observed when dining there.

What’s weird, he added, was when he checked again the following day, the Google rating “shot up significantly to 4+ stars” and was then suddenly flooded with “5-star reviews from accounts that looked brand new.”

“It is a massive shift from the opening month, where most people were leaving one or two stars,” he said.

Warning other diners, he added, “Just wanted to put this out there so people stay sceptical. Don’t just look at the 4-star average on Google Maps and assume everything is great. It is always safer to filter by the newest reviews and see if the accounts have actually reviewed other places before. Seeing a score jump that much in 24 hours is definitely worth noting before you spend your money there.”

Commenters, however, were not surprised at the “super common” issue, which others described as “standard practice”.

One said, “You see those reviewers with less than 10 reviews, you know already. Most obvious are those that name-drop the staff/manager. 100% paid reviews.”

Another shared, “Hot tip, always look at the lowest reviews. If the lowest reviews say the food s*cks, avoid like the plague, but if it’s about service, generally it’s fine.”

A third added that a five-star review online usually means the one providing the review got something for free, “otherwise creating multiple fake accounts.”

According to Google’s Business Profile Help Centre, reviews, which appear next to business profiles on Google Maps and Search, are meant to reflect customers’ “genuine experience”.

Any form of incentivised or manipulated reviews, including offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for posting, changing or removing reviews, is considered fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited under its policies.

However, businesses can get more reviews by reminding customers to leave reviews and responding to reviews to show that their input is valued. /TISG

Read also: ‘It’s just fair’: Netizens defend restaurant over S$400 cancellation fee after woman cancelled Valentine’s reservation due to close relative’s death

This article (‘Watch out for review boosting at food outlets’: Netizen says Google rating of food chain he visited in Tampines jumped from 2 to 4+ stars in a day) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

Slacking at work may actually have its advantages when it comes to corporate layoffs, according to career coach Kelly Volkmar, who pointed out one “very frustrating” reality: “the slacker Bob sitting next to you is actually safer than you as a high performer”.

On her Instagram @corporateclarity.career, she explained in a short video: “It’s because slackers are very annoying, but they’re harmless. They don’t ask questions, they don’t challenge decisions, they don’t expose problems. High performers do. They push, they question things, and they move fast — and that creates pressure. And pressure exposes where the system is broken.”

She added, “The irony is slackers p*ss off high performers, but high performers threaten leaders.”

Most commenters agreed, with some self-described “high performers” saying that after doing more and getting scolded for asking questions or challenging what they felt were bad decisions, they’ve learned “not to work so hard”.

One commenter said, “I used to be a high performer — waste of my time, got paid the same for doing much less and less stress.”

Another shared, “My mentor told me ‘you get paid the same whether you’re a superstar or you make mistakes all the time’.”

A third added, “It took me a long time to realise the best thing to be in corporate America is borderline invisible. Just do your job well enough and consistently enough that people forget you exist. Then once or twice a year (just before a comp review cycle) emerge from obscurity with a good idea… then disappear again.”

Others also mentioned mastering “the subtle art of minding my own business”, with one commenter sharing that after realising his extra efforts weren’t always rewarded, he now sticks to “no drinks after work, no co-worker friends on social media, no office politics, no cliquish behaviour”.

“Some people’s entire identity is their corporate job. If there is enough genuine fulfilment in your life outside of work, you won’t be so emotionally invested. So long as no one messes with your schedule and you aren’t micromanaged, perform your job to the best of your ability and clock out,” he added.

Several others shared that, unlike high performers, slackers are the ones getting one to two per cent salary increases, with some describing them as ‘pragmatic survivors’ who have learned the rules of the system and are getting paid to do enough while being politically competent.

Labour market exchange data from Malaysia’s social security organisation (PERKESO) appears to support what Ms Volkmar said and what netizens observed.

In January, 53.7% of job cuts in Malaysia were high-skilled workers. The numbers even edged up to 54.4% in February.

In the little red dot, the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM’s) latest labour market report also showed an uptick in layoffs among professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) compared to the broader workforce, surpassing pre-recession norms. /TISG

Read also: Are corporate jobs no longer the goal of the younger generation? Gen Z claims she was ‘brainwashed’ into corporate

This article (‘Slackers are annoying but harmless’: Why high-performers are getting laid-off in corporate) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

AUSTRALIA: The income of a partner at PwC Australia rose 6% to AU$814,000 in 2025, even as the firm’s profit fell 2% to AU$608 million — marking the second consecutive year partner pay increased despite lower earnings. 

Chief executive Kevin Burrowes expected partner income to increase “quite significantly” this year.

According to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), Mr Burrowes said the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) adoption had boosted efficiency, with productivity gains lifting company profits towards the end of 2025 that continued into the first quarter of 2026.

In fact, Mr Burrowes said he would have expected the company “to have an excellent year”, with “too much demand” for its services, if not for the Middle East war.

“Super delighted with the momentum the firm has got…But I think the thing I’m most proud of for the firm is that our productivity has improved in our business between 10 and 20 per cent,” he said.

He also noted that the firm’s direction would involve “fewer people doing the same amount or fewer people doing more”, as staff and partners used AI tools to “do more with less”.

The figures, however, drew backlash from netizens, with one saying, “So this is what AI will drive. Wealth concentration and the ordinary working person get let go or paid less.”

Another wrote, “So a bunch of executives sacked staff, blaming AI, then gave themselves a fat pay rise. Got it.”

A third added, “Soon enough, they won’t need the partners either. They’d be able to save AU$814,000 a pop and in other instances millions.”

Mr Burrowes was brought in in mid-2023 to lead a turnaround following the firm’s tax leaks scandal, when a former senior partner shared confidential government tax plans with colleagues. He is expected to step down at the end of the year.

Probes, including by the Australian Federal Police, into former partners linked to the tax leaks scandal are ongoing. /TISG

Read also: Time is running out for nearly 9,000 Australian workers to claim lost Superannuation savings from collapsed funds

This article (‘So this is what AI will drive’: Workers react as PwC partner pay rises amid AI push and fewer staff) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

Like many young Millennials and Gen Z who want to achieve FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), Mia McGrath is doing the best she can to achieve it by 40—and somehow she decided to do it by starting her day with her “humble eggs” breakfast, which costs just 50 pence (S$0.85).

The London-based 25-year-old model, influencer, and now brand founder, who shares finance tips with her over 500,000 TikTok followers, also said she saves up to 70% of her income to reach her goal.

While she didn’t grow up financially literate, she said she became obsessed with becoming rich—in time, choice, and autonomy—and began learning what she could from YouTube and books on how to achieve financial freedom.

Before quitting her 9-to-5 job in the fashion industry in October last year, she told Fortune last April, that unlike other white-collar workers who spend money on daily sandwiches or salads, she cuts back on daily coffees and sticks to leftovers.

Ms McGrath, who aims for a FIRE number—the amount of savings and investments that allows someone to stop working while covering living expenses—of £1.25 million, said she already saved £70,000 at that time.

Commenters, however, questioned her lifestyle, with one saying, “Would she be alive by 40 if she keeps eating like that?” Another asked, “Does that make her happy and satisfied?” Others also said they practised similar habits of saving but had reached their 40s and 50s without retirement in sight.

Pushback against those pursuing the FIRE movement is not new. In fact, a man in Singapore who was after the same financial freedom was called “calculative” by his friends when he started cutting back on spending when they went out together. Others earning below S$10,000, however, questioned whether it was even possible. Meanwhile, some who have achieved it were prompted to question what to do next. /TISG

Read also: Young worker quits Singapore job at 27, leaves ‘predictable and unreachable’ life behind for Penang

This article (Gen Z spends 85 cents on daily breakfast, saves up to 70% of income to reach FIRE by 40) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Would you quit if you had no job lined up? A 27-year-old man was considering doing so after working for just two weeks, as he found his job “very dry.” He also said he dreaded going to work every day and felt “very unmotivated,” adding that he plans to switch to a career in project management, which he had experience in, having had two internships managing projects.

Netizens commenting on The Independent Singapore’s Facebook page, however, advised him against doing so, with one saying, “Better to hang on till you find another job – not easy to get jobs these days.”

Another called pushing through quitting without backup as “foolish.” While a third advised, “You should always secure a job first before quitting, especially when the current job market is much tougher.”

Before starting his current role, the man said he had been eyeing a job with a hybrid arrangement but faced multiple rejections and eventually settled for his current role, which pays less than S$4,000 a month. He noted then that after applying for two weeks, he received little to no callbacks.

While you’re often told never to jump without a safety net, there are five situations where it may make sense to do so, career change coach Caroline Ceniza-Levine wrote on Forbes.

1. When your health is compromised by burnout because the work environment is too toxic.

2. When the opportunity cost of staying in your job is too high and means missing out on what matters most to you.

3. When you have the savings to handle the financial impact of a career gap, or clear ideas on what to do next.

4. When you’re sure your next move would be more lucrative, more fulfilling or more suitable to you.

5. When you’re at peace with quitting and ready for a change.

Meanwhile, in the little red dot, the job market just recorded the largest decline in job postings since March 2021, according to online job portal Indeed. Although it is worth considering that, at the same time, Singapore workers have been found to be more resilient but disengaged, with some quiet cracking from pressure, job uncertainty, and stalled professional growth. /TISG

Read also: ‘I’m job hugging even harder’: Some Singaporeans share how they’re navigating rising costs amid the Middle East war

This article (‘Better to hang on ’til you find another job’: Netizens advise man who wants to quit his first job after just 2 weeks) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.