IF the soundtrack of last year's Budget debate was "to the left, to the left", this year, parliamentarians are singing a different tune: "Give them less, give them less."

LATEST statistics are backing what anecdotal evidence has suggested so far this year: that faltering global economic conditions have put a strain on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity worldwide.

IT'S all good that the Singapore government exercises fiscal prudence while helping companies and Singaporeans of lesser means, but how efficient are these measures in assisting those who need it?

BUSINESS conditions in Singapore improved further in March, as stronger domestic demand boosted growth in new orders to their fastest pace in a year.

ABOUT a third of LinkedIn's global traffic will soon be managed by a new US$80 million data centre in Singapore, The Business Times has learnt.

ABOUT a third of LinkedIn's global traffic will soon be managed by a new S$80 million data centre in Singapore, The Business Times has learnt.

IN a puzzling turn of events, share trading in lifestyle products group OSIM International was halted at 4.48pm on Tuesday, after markets had just begun to digest a sweetened takeover offer by founder Ron Sim.

THE Panama Papers can only clean up so much. A leak of more than 11 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a law firm in the Central American nation, has kicked off a global offshore tax hunt. At least one world leader is already under fire and others could be damaged, too. The impact may be limited, however, in the least democratic regimes.

AMERICA'S trade deficit widened in February to a six-month high as an increase in imports exceeded a more modest pick-up in shipments overseas.

MEMBER of Parliament Christopher de Souza reiterated his call for the government to take a gradual approach in easing property cooling measures.