Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 11644

Actress Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas to marry in traditional Hindu ceremony

MUMBAI — US singer Nick Jonas and Quantico actor Priyanka Chopra were to be married in a traditional Hindu ceremony yesterday, the culmination of a three-day long wedding celebration that featured cricket matches and Bollywood songs, all taking place in a heritage Indian palace atop a hill.
The couple exchanged vows in a Christian ceremony on Saturday, wearing custom-made Ralph Lauren clothes, and later shared pictures on their social media of a pre-wedding ritual, the mehendi ceremony, which involves applying henna on the bride’s hands as a good omen.
“One of the most special things that our relationship has given us is a merging of families who love and respect each others’ faiths and cultures. And so planning our wedding with an amalgamation of both was so so amazing,” Bollywood actor Ms. Chopra wrote on her Instagram account.
The pictures showed the couple laughing and surrounded by family and friends, as an artisan applied henna on Ms. Chopra’s palms.
On Sunday, Ms. Chopra shared a picture and a two-second video of a cricket match, captioning it “team bride vs team groom #cricket.” Indian media reported that at another pre-wedding function, guests and the bride and groom danced to Bollywood songs, including some of Ms. Chopra’s biggest hits.
The couple have been tight-lipped about the details of the actual wedding, and representatives for the couple remain unreachable for comment. They are scheduled to host a reception in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The venue of the wedding, the Umaid Bhavan palace in the heritage north Indian city of Jodhpur, has been cordoned off to the public, and Indian media reported that the couple had asked guests not to carry cellphones to any of the ceremonies.
The palace is home to the Jodhpur royal family, and is believed to be the world’s sixth largest private residence. Part of the palace has been converted into a Taj heritage hotel with peacocks roaming 26 acres of landscaped gardens.
A night’s stay in the Grand Presidential suite can cost more than 500,000 rupees ($7,168), according to the hotel website.
Ms. Chopra, 36, and 26-year-old Mr. Jonas were engaged earlier this year after a whirlwind courtship that began at an Oscars after-party last year.
Ms. Chopra, who headlined three seasons of the ABC crime drama Quantico, is one of Bollywood’s biggest female leads with acting credits in several big-ticket films.
Nick and his brothers Kevin and Joe formed a pop-rock band, The Jonas Brothers, in 2005 and soared to fame as members of Disney’s stable of teenage stars. The band split up in 2013. — Reuters

Northpine’s lifestyle hubs

NORTHPINE Land, Inc. (NLI) recently opened a lifestyle complex within its Cavite residential community, and is on track to complete the lifestyle hub in its Pampanga community by 2019.
In statement, the developer said the lifestyle complex in Kohana Grove in Silang, Cavite was opened last August. The 4,000 square meter (sq.m.) complex features a multi-purpose hall, a viewing deck, a basketball court, a play area, and a swimming pool.
“The Lifestyle Complex will surely provide a more conducive avenue for the homeowners to live life in full bloom. This is yet another courageous move by NorthPine Land as we continuously design and construct lifestyle amenities that improve the quality of life,” said Ferdinand M. Macabanti, general manager of NLI, in a statement.
NorthPine is also targeting to open the lifestyle hub in Montana Views in San Fernando, Pampanga by the fourth quarter of 2019. The 4,000 sq.m. hub will have a basketball court, a fitness center, and a playground.
It will also have a WiFi equipped lifestyle center with an air-conditioned functional hall, multi-purpose area, playroom, entertainment room, and a snack bar.
“In over 20 years, NorthPine Land remains as a groundbreaker of innovations. We create lifestyle options that enhance the quality of living. This Lifestyle Hub is probably one of the best amenities NorthPine is bound to create. We are very excited to see this rise in the near future,” Mr. Macabanti said. — V.M.P.Galang

Gov’t makes full award of T-bills with offer twice oversubscribed

THE GOVERNMENT made a full award of the Treasury bills (T-bill) it auctioned off on Monday, with the rate of the longest tenor even slipping a tad as investors expect inflation to decelerate.
The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) borrowed P15 billion as planned at its T-bills auction yesterday. Total tenders from market participants reached P35.583 billion, higher than the P29.28 billion fetched at last week’s auction and over two times the offer.
Broken down, the government borrowed P4 billion as planned via the 91-day tenor yesterday as tenders reached P6.805 billion. The average rate for the papers went up 9.9 basis points (bp) to 5.394% from the 5.295% fetched at the auction last Nov. 19 and from the full rejection the Treasury made for the tenor last week.
For the 182-day bills, the Treasury borrowed P5 billion as planned out of total bids totalling P12.998 billion. Its average yield increased 1.1 bps to 6.305% from last week’s 6.294%.
The government also made a full award of the 364-day papers, accepting the programmed P6 billion out of total offers amounting to P15.78 billion. The average yield, on the other hand, declined 4.3 bps to 6.507% from the 6.55% quoted in the previous offer.
Based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference Rates, the three-month, six-month and one-year papers were quoted at 5.497%, 6.245% and 6.5872% yesterday, respectively.
National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon said the Treasury was pleased with the auction’s oversubscription.
“It’s very timely given that the market analysts’ [inflation] consensus is at 6.3%. [The market is expecting] that inflation is already going down,” Ms. De Leon told reporters yesterday.
Inflation is widely expected to have slowed in November from a nine-year peak on the back of lower oil prices and improved food supply.
A BusinessWorld poll among 14 economists yielded a 6.3% median estimate for the month, slower than the actual 6.7% print in September and October.
The median also falls within the 5.8-6.6% estimate range of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
“They would also lock in already the rates at these levels since the inflation continues a downward trajectory,” Ms. De Leon said. “Given the price pressures have receded, there’s a case already for the Monetary Board to take a pause in monetary tightening.”
The BSP’s policy-setting Monetary Board has raised key rates by a cumulative 150 bps since May to arrest inflation expectations.
Ms. De Leon added that the US Federal Reserve is expected to pause its tightening following the pronouncements of Fed chief Jerome Powell that its rates are close to neutral.
“I think the Fed wants to see the impact of the rate hikes to the economy since there is a lag effect in terms of its effects.”
Meanwhile, a bond trader said the result of yesterday’s auction was within expectations as rates moved sideways with an upward bias.
“The rate for the one-year papers slid due to higher demand in the longer tenors,” the trader said in a phone interview. “Most probably, we can expect the same demand until the yearend. Ganyan na ang (That’s going to be the) demand on the short tenors.”
The Treasury is raising P270 billion from the domestic market this quarter through auctions of securities, offering P180 billion in T-bills and another P90 billion in Treasury bonds.
The government plans to borrow P888.23 billion this year from local and foreign sources to fund its budget deficit, which is capped at 3% of the country’s gross domestic product. — K.A.N. Vidal

Telco line issues delay PHL stock market opening for nearly 1 hour

TRADING AT the local stock market was delayed for almost an hour on Monday due to telecommunication line issues, according to a top official.
The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) started trading at around 10:15 a.m. yesterday, 45 minutes later than its scheduled daily opening of 9:30 a.m.
“It was a telecommunication line issue,” PSE Chief Operating Officer Roel A. Refran said in a text message, clarifying that a security breach did not cause the delay.
“We are already up and running and all systems are in order. We will observe the regular trading schedule,” Mr. Refran said in a message upon the market’s opening.
The PSE officially opens trading activities at 9:30 a.m. A 1.5-hour recess is observed from 12 noon to 1:29 p.m., after which trading resumes until the market closes at 3:30 p.m.
The benchmark PSE index closed 2.24% higher on Monday, rallying to 7,532.90 after United States President Donald J. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a 90-day truce on their ongoing trade war.
Mr. Trump had earlier planned to hike tariffs to 25% from 10% on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods by Jan. 1, 2019, but agreed to delay its imposition following negotiations with Mr. Xi at the G20 Summit in Argentina over the weekend. — Arra B. Francia

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda gets Hollywood star

HOLLYWOOD — Hamilton musical creator Lin-Manuel Miranda (center) rapped his way down memory lane on Friday as he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The multiple Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner unveiled his pink and bronze star outside the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, where he recalled performing in his first hit musical, In the Heights, in 2010.
“I feel like I’m dreaming,” Mr. Miranda, 38, said at the ceremony. “It means the world to me that my star is outside this incredible theater.”
Singing the lines from the opening song of In the Heights, about life in a Latino neighborhood in New York City, Mr. Miranda rapped, “I am Usnavi and you prob’ly never heard my name/Reports of my fame are greatly exaggerated.”
He added, laughing,“Reports of my fame are still probably exaggerated.”
Hamilton, the rap musical in which African-American and Latino actors play the founding fathers of the United States, won a Pulitzer prize and is currently the most successful show on Broadway, with productions also in London, Chicago. and a US national tour.
Mr. Miranda has also been busy with other projects. He is co-starring in the upcoming movie Mary Poppins Returns, he co-wrote the music for the animated film Moana, and he is working on a new musical movie version of The Little Mermaid.
He has used his fame to raise money for 2017 Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico, the home of his grandparents.
“In spite of his astronomical success, he has somehow managed to remain a sweet, humble, down-to-earth guy,” comedic singer-songwriter “Weird Al” Yankovic said at the ceremony.
Puerto Rican actress and singer Rita Moreno echoed that sentiment. “You are the real deal,” she told Mr. Miranda. “Your energy is boundless, your heart is in the heights. You are such a sweet and caring human being.” — Reuters

‘Green’ JEG Tower to rise in Cebu

JEG Development Corporation is currently developing one of Cebu City’s few “green buildings” — JEG Tower @ One Acacia.
The Grade A office and retail building has already been recognized by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) with a pre-certified Silver rating. It will be turned over by the first quarter of 2020.
Located next to BPI Corporate Center in Ayala Cebu, JEG Tower @ One Acacia will utilize less water, energy, and emit less greenhouse gases. It will have an “enhanced interior space for maximum views and natural lighting” to reduce energy costs.
“We’re happy that going green in our industry has become a global trend. Hearing about the number of projects that are getting certified by LEED assures us that we are heading in the right direction. Through JEG Tower @ One Acacia, we hope to encourage ourselves and other developers to push for a more sustainable approach to architecture and design,” JEG Development Chief Operations Officer Marko Sarmiento was quoted as saying in a statement.
The project is a collaboration among JDC One Acacia Corporation, KMC Savills, Arcadis Philippines, and Casas + Architects.

UnionBank upsizes peso-denominated bond issue

UNIONBANK of the Philippines has increased the issue size of its maiden peso-denominated bond issue to accommodate demand from investors.
In a disclosure to the local bourse Monday, the Aboitiz-led UnionBank said it increased the size of its peso bond issuance to P11 billion from the P10.5 billion set previously.
The total amount that the bank is set to raise is more than double the P5 billion it initially intended to issue.
“To accommodate additional demand from retail investors, UnionBank has decided to further increase the final bond issue size,” the lender said in the disclosure.
The two-year debt papers carry a coupon rate of 7.061% per annum to be paid quarterly.
The fixed-rate bonds were priced at 30 basis points over the two-year PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service government benchmark rates quoted on Nov. 21.
In a disclosure last week, UnionBank Chief Financial Officer Jose Emmanuel U. Hilado said proceeds from the bond issuance “will help support our strategic business expansion plans, while providing a new shorter-dated investment instrument to our institutional and retail clients.”
The offering marks the first tranche of the bank’s P20-billion bond and commercial paper program approved by UnionBank’s board last Aug. 31.
Banks can now raise funds with greater ease through corporate bonds as new central bank regulations do away with having to secure approval from them.
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. is looking to raise an additional P5 billion through another tranche of offering after raising P10 billion.
Bank of the Philippine Islands also raised P25 billion through the fixed-income debt papers, marking the first part of its P50-billion program.
UnionBank booked a P6.1-billion net profit in the first nine months, lower than the P6.4 billion recorded a year ago, due to increasing interest rates and its inability to issue credit for teachers.
Shares in UnionBank went down 50 centavos or 0.74% to close Monday’s session at P67.20 apiece. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Grab Philippines teams up with IDOOH

GRAB PHILIPPINES is installing interactive tablets in its cars, as part of the deal with IDOOH International.

GRAB PHILIPPINES (MyTaxi.PH, Inc.) said on Monday it is partnering with media technology company IDOOH International for the distribution of in-car display tablets in its vehicles.
The on-demand transport company said in a statement the partnership will support its online-to-offline advertising platform GrabAds.
In the case of its deal with IDOOH, Grab said this will involve interactive 10-inch tablets mounted inside Grab cars. The devices will serve an e-commerce function and will display news, lifestyle, entertainment and other branded content.
Grab has started diversifying its business to transform the ride-hailing platform into an “everyday app.”
“As an everyday app, we always look for ways to improve the experience of both passengers and drivers. Thanks to our partnership with IDOOH, passengers will be able to discover, engage with, and receive deals from quality brands,” Grab Philippines head for business Steven Martin Luchangco said in the statement.
He noted the tablets use technologies such as geo-fencing and day-parting to synchronize the content with external conditions such as speed, location, weather and traffic conditions.
Aside from projected benefits to passengers, Grab said the ad platform is also expected to boost the income of its drivers, as they will earn additional revenue for the number of trips they complete and the length of time the tablet screen was actively running.
“Beyond the commute experience, this partnership opens up a rideshare business ecosystem that will serve as a window for collaboration across other ridesharing services like advertising, delivery, and fulfilment of e-commerce transactions on the move,” IDOOH Group chief executive officer Mark Forsyth was quoted as saying. — Denise A. Valdez

Aquaman is coming to town

AQUAMAN himself is coming to Manila as Warner Bros. and SM Cinema bring the actor playing the role in the new Aquaman movie, Jason Momoa, and his co-star Amber Heard, for the Asian Premier and Fan Event at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA). Fans can get a glimpse of Mr. Momoa, Ms. Heard (who plays Mera), and director James Wan at a fan meet at the SM MOA Music Hall followed by the Asian premier of Aquaman at IMAX MOA. DC Comics and Aquaman fans will have a chance to take home Aquaman premium items from SM Cinema at the SM By the Bay Fountain Area. Fans can take photos with the life-size statues of Aquaman and Mera at the SM MOA and post them online using the hashtag #AquamanAtSMCinema. Aquaman arrives at IMAX theaters and SM Cinema branches nationwide on Dec. 12. It will also be shown at SM MOA’s Event Cinema, a first of its kind venue for exclusive party, corporate and seminar needs.

New restaurants at Eton Centris

NEW retail and dining concepts have opened at Eton Centris, a 12-hectare mixed-use property in Quezon City. Among the new restaurants in the property are Zubuchon, Romantic Baboy, Movie Stars Cafe, Ramen Kuroda, Better Days, and ASSI Fresh Plaza. Baby Mama, a store catering to breastfeeding moms, and Mount Sinai Veterinary Practice, a full service veterinary clinic and pet supplies store, have also opened. Tim Hortons is also setting up shop in the area.

The Garden at Okada Manila

OKADA MANILA recently launched The Garden, a lush open space where guests can enjoy spectacular views of the sunset over Manila Bay.
“The Garden is more than an outdoor space — it’s an integral part of Okada Manila where guests can enjoy life’s best moments under the sky with people they treasure the most,” Ivaylo S. Ivanov, Okada Manila’s Vice President for Hospitality, said in a statement.
At the same time, Okada Manila kicked off its holiday activities with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The award-winning Himig Rizalia will perform at the hotel on all weekends of December until the 23rd.
Okada Manila is also hosting a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus at Santa’s Cabin by the Crystal Corridor junction on selected dates until Dec. 25, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Children can enjoy various activities such as Christmas caroling, games and storytelling time with Santa at the Yuletide Kiddie Jam at PLAY every weekend until Dec. 16, and daily from Dec. 21 to 25. Kids who wear Santa outfits can get a complimentary pass for both child and guardian for their next visit, as well as 50% off on a six-month MOON Pass.

ECB ballot hints at tactics for jobs overhaul

ECB Governing Council members voted a new supervisory head last month. — REUTERS

WHEN European Central Bank (ECB) policy makers cast a secret ballot to select a new supervisory head, it was with their future leadership on their minds, according to euro-area officials familiar with the matter.
Governing Council members who voted last month for Italy’s Andrea Enria instead of the supposed frontrunner, Irish Deputy Governor Sharon Donnery, did so aware their choice could have repercussions for other senior appointments in 2019, the people said.
Donnery’s selection could have been an obstacle to her boss, Harvard-educated Governor Philip Lane, getting one of those seats and becoming chief economist, the people said, asking not to be identified because of the confidential nature of the selection process. An ECB spokesman declined to comment.
That’s the first of three of the ECB’s six Executive Board positions that are up for grabs next year. Governments will make those appointments and central bankers are concerned over how the horse-trading will play out, especially after European Parliament elections in May that could see populists gain sway.
None of the officials doubted Enria’s ability to lead the Single Supervisory Mechanism, but by thinking a few moves ahead — despite drawing criticism that they undermined their gender-diversity drive —policy makers acknowledged the risks of the upcoming reshuffle.
Governments have an incentive to appoint candidates based on nationality as much as expertise, and a small country like Ireland would typically struggle to get two senior posts in the horse-trading. The bank-supervision head isn’t on the board but has powerful sway over the region’s biggest lenders.
The chief economist proposes monetary policy, making it one of the most influential posts. It’s especially key because current holder Peter Praet is due to retire in May and his replacement should be selected before the European polls. President Mario Draghi leaves in October and Benoit Coeure, head of markets, at the end of the year.
Finance ministers’ choice this year of Luis de Guindos, formerly one of their own, as ECB vice president has already raised eyebrows at the Frankfurt-based institution because of the possible perception that its independence might be compromised by politics.
Guindos’s only challenger — before dropping out — was Lane, who has a doctorate in economics, a strong academic reputation, and central-banking experience. That battle was an omen for at least one of the officials of what the political appointment process could do to the ECB’s leadership. — Bloomberg

1...11,64311,64411,645...14,251Page 11,644 of 14,251
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube