SINGAPORE - The interest rates that Central Provident Fund (CPF) members can earn on their various accounts will remain unchanged in the third quarter of 2021, the Housing Board and CPF Board said on Friday (May 28). From July to September 2021, CPF members below 55 years old will continue to earn interest rates of up to 3.5 per cent per year in their Ordinary Account, and up to 5 per cent per year on their Special and MediSave Accounts. These interest rates include the extra 1 per cent interest on the first $60,000 of their combined balances, capped at $20,000 for the Ordinary Account. CPF members aged 55 and above will continue earning up to 6 per cent interest per year on their combined balances. This includes the extra 2 per cent interest on the first $30,000 of their combined balances, capped at $20,000 for the Ordinary Account, and an extra 1 per cent on the next $30,000. The extra interest paid to CPF members is part of the Government's efforts to enhance the retirement savings of CPF members. The extra interest on the Ordinary Account will go into members' Special Account or Retirement Account to enhance their retirement savings. For CPF members above 55 years old and participating in the CPF Life scheme, which provides a lifelong monthly payout that begins when the member turns 65 years old, the extra interest will still be earned on their combined balances, which include the savings used for CPF Life. From July to September 2021, the floor rate of 2.5 per cent interest per year earned on the Ordinary Account will be maintained, as will the 4 per cent floor rate for the Special and MediSave Accounts. The 4 per cent floor rate on the Retirement Account will remain unchanged for the rest of the year, as announced on September 25, 2020. The concessionary interest rate for HDB housing loans, which is pegged at 0.1 per cent above the Ordinary Account interest rate, will remain unchanged at 2.6 per cent per annum. CPF members can visit CPF's website or call the CPF Call Centre at 1800-227-1188 if they have enquiries. More on this topic Related Story Cash top-ups for investment scheme too? Related Story Use cash, not CPF, if you want to invest
SINGAPORE - Close to half of all residential consumers have switched to buying electricity from a retailer since the electricity market in Singapore was fully liberalised two years ago, the Energy Market Authority said on Friday (May 7). Currently, about 49 per cent of all residential consumers buy electricity from a retailer, with 43 per cent on fixed price plans and five on discount-off-tariff plans. Under a fixed price plan, consumers pay a constant rate throughout the contract duration, for example, 20 cents per kilowatt-hour. With a discount-off-tariff plan, consumers enjoy a fixed discount off the prevailing regulated tariff throughout the contract duration. The Open Electricity Market (OEM), which gives consumers a choice of their electricity provider, was progressively rolled out nationwide from November 2018 to May 2019. Previously, SP Group was the only supplier of electricity to households in Singapore. Out of the 12 retailers here, Keppel Electric currently has the biggest share with about 22 per cent of the residential market, followed by Geneco at about 20 per cent, and Tuas Power at about 15 per cent. The EMA also released findings from its Consumer Satisfaction Survey (CSS). It showed that consumers are becoming more discerning and are actively searching for better plans instead of opting to automatically renew their existing price plan. The survey, which involved more than 2,500 households, showed that only 28 per cent automatically renewed with their current retailer, down from 49 per cent who indicated they did so in the previous survey report in October last year. Nine in 10 households also compared price plans across different retailers before making a switch. Compared to those who renewed with their retailer, only six in 10 compared price plans. Chief executive of EMA Ngiam Shih Chun said: "We encourage consumers to compare retailers' price plans and their ratings when signing up or renewing their contract to find an offer that best suits their needs." He added that consumers can go online to compare the standard price plans offered by all the retailers here. Of the 90 per cent who compared price plans across different retailers before making the switch, 73 per cent used price comparison websites as the main mode to compare offers from different retailers. About 96 per cent of the households surveyed also found the process of switching retailers, or renewing with their retailer, easy. More on this topic Related Story Electricity prices likely to rise as overcapacity normalises Related Story Less than half of Singapore households have switched to electricity retailers Businessman Anthony Tan, who switched over from Keppel Electric to Senoko Energy in March this year, found the process seamless and convenient. The switch will see him saving at least $2 per month, but he will enjoy an additional rebate of $50 due to promotional offers. The 60-year-old, who learnt about Senoko Energy's price plans through advertisements, said: "The difference per month may not seem like much but over a two-year contract, the difference does add up to quite a bit." Findings also revealed that more retailers received a high approval rating from consumers, based on a rating system with five stars being the highest level of satisfaction. Six retailers saw a rating of 4.5 stars and above, an increase from four retailers a year ago. Out of the 12 here, only one retailer, Sunseap Energy, saw a rating of five stars. EMA said these ratings can be found on the OEM website and will be updated every six months. More on this topic Related Story Open Electricity Market retailers are vetted beforehand Related Story Singapore looks to grow power generation capacity
SINGAPORE - SMRT aims to change all its taxis to 100 per cent electric vehicles within five years as part of efforts to go green. The first batch of 300 electric taxis will arrive progressively in Singapore from July, the transport operator announced in a statement on Tuesday (April 20). The electric vehicles could include sedans, station wagons and multi-purpose vehicles. SMRT has 1,796 taxis in its fleet, according to the Land Transport Authority in February. SMRT said: "The electrification of the entire taxi fleet is part of SMRT's growth strategy in green businesses under its sustainable urban mobility services arm, Strides Mobility." Besides taxis, other mobility services using electric vehicles such as vans, limousines and buses will also be rolled out. SMRT's transition to cleaner-energy taxis began in 2013, when more than 600 Toyota Prius Hybrid cabs were added to its fleet. Last year, SMRT's fleet became 100 per cent hybrid. SMRT Road Holdings president Tan Kian Heong said: "In line with Singapore's Green Plan, we are excited to be among the first point-to-point transport operators to commit to the deployment of electric taxis on a large scale. "This is a key part of our plan to incorporate principles of sustainability into each of our businesses to bring sustainable urban mobility services to our customers. Going green is an integral part of how we operate our business." On Monday, SMRT-owned Strides Transportation also signed a memorandum of understanding with electric motorcycle-maker EuroSports Technologies. Strides will be appointed as the sole distributor of commercial electric motorcycles in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific. This range of two- and three-wheelers will be separate from EuroSports' Scorpio brand of premium electric motorbikes. It will be targeted for food delivery and logistics applications. More on this topic Related Story 60% of Singapore taxis now run on cleaner energy Related Story LTA engages private players in bid to make electric vehicle charging points in carparks viable
SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - Employers in Singapore seek to hire those with communication skills, problem-solving skills and strategic thinking over those with traditional attributes, professional networking platform LinkedIn said in a report. Looking into the future of work, its survey found that 39 per cent of companies in Singapore look for those with technical skills, and 31 per cent look for transferable skills. This exhibits a preference over hiring based on traditional qualifications such as education (8 per cent) or work experience (12 per cent). To close skills gaps, three in five companies may hire those from outside their industries, the survey found. Nine in 10 employers here also look inward to fill open roles, with 65 per cent using existing employees to leverage insiders' perspectives. By hiring internally, the same number of respondents want to provide a sense of progress for staff and 55 per cent wish to encourage loyalty. Companies must then upskill employees to meet needs, which may require human resource (HR) to take on more responsibilities. The report found that almost 60 per cent of companies in Singapore said HR plays an important role in employee training and development. Fifty-seven per cent also indicated that HR plays a significant role in shaping business strategies during Covid-19, compared with less than half prior to the pandemic. This increases to nine in 10 companies in Singapore when discussing its role post-Covid-19. Ms Feon Ang, LinkedIn's vice-president of talent and learning solutions for the Asia-Pacific region, said: "Going forward, we can expect to see a skills-based economy take shape, with skills becoming the new currency for workers in the future world of work. I encourage all individuals to adopt a growth mindset, and keep learning to stay relevant." The inaugural LinkedIn Future of Talent report compiles information from research carried out by market research firm GfK in January 2021. Among 3,500 respondents from small, medium and large enterprises from across the Asia-Pacific region, 505 HR personnel, senior-level hiring managers or top management from Singapore participated in the quantitative 20-minute online survey. More on this topic Related Story Interactive: Singapore’s Best Employers 2021 Related Story The future of hiring in Singapore: How to ace a virtual interview
SINGAPORE - Unemployment rates here continued to drop for the fourth consecutive month in February as the economy recovers. The unemployment rate peaked in September last year and persisted through October, before falling steadily since November. Singapore's employment situation has continued to improve, with declines seen across the overall, resident and citizen unemployment rates, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Wednesday (April 7). A report by the Ministry of Manpower the same day revealed that the overall unemployment rate fell to 3.0 per cent in February, down from 3.2 per cent in January. Resident unemployment, which refers to Singapore citizens and permanent residents, declined to 4.1 per cent, from 4.3 per cent in the preceding month. Meanwhile, the citizen unemployment rate dropped from 4.5 per cent to 4.3 per cent. Some 96,800 residents were unemployed in February this year, including 85,900 citizens. In a Facebook post, Mrs Teo said: "Although the unemployment rates remain elevated and have not yet returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, we are seeing good progress with jobs growth." She noted that under the Jobs Growth Incentive, payouts were made to 27,000 employers, who collectively hired 130,000 locals in the first three months of scheme implementation. "It is encouraging to see that Government support for employers to expand local hiring has nudged them to consider a more diverse group of job seekers. This includes those from different sectors, those who were previously not employed, and those aged 40 and above," she added. However, Mrs Teo cautioned that with every dip in the unemployment rate, the next drop will likely be harder to achieve. "It depends on whether hiring demand is sustained among employers, and their willingness to look beyond candidates with familiar profiles," she explained. "The remaining job seekers too may need to consider job roles or sectors they previously did not, and be willing to invest time to re-skill." More on this topic Related Story S'pore's employment level saw sharpest decline in two decades in 2020 Related Story S'pore resident employment up for two consecutive quarters: MOM
SINGAPORE - Housing Board resale prices rose for a fourth consecutive quarter, climbing 2.8 per cent in the first three months of this year over the previous quarter, according to HDB flash estimates released on Thursday (April 1). Year on year, resale prices were up by 8 per cent. Last quarter's HDB resale prices are also just 5 per cent lower than their peak price recorded in the second quarter of 2013, said Ms Christine Sun, OrangeTee & Tie's senior vice-president of research and analytics. At the current pace of price growth, a new peak may be formed by the second half of this year, she said. Prior to their recovery from the second half of 2019, HDB resale prices had notched six straight years of decline from 2013 to 2018. Citing HDB data, Ms Sun said average prices in the January to March period rose quarter on quarter in 22 of the 26 HDB towns. Toa Payoh (17 per cent, 244 units), Bukit Timah (11.2 per cent, 28 units) and Bedok (8 per cent, 402 units) posted the highest quarterly increases. Ms Sun added that 2021 is likely to see a new record number of million-dollar HDB flats sold. Fifty-three resale flats have changed hands for at least $1 million in the first quarter, the highest quarterly sales of million-dollar flats on record, or since 1990, she said. This number has already surpassed the total number of million-dollar flats transacted in the years before 2018. PropNex head of research and content Wong Siew Ying said that as prices in the overall market recover, some HDB flat owners may see an opportune time to sell their flats and trade up to a private home. In addition, a sizeable number of HDB flats - more than 25,000 - will reach their five-year minimum occupation period this year, allowing them to be resold, she said. "The potential injection of more resale flats into the market will help to stimulate demand, while transactions of newer flats – which tend to command a higher price - will prop up values," said Ms Wong. For the whole of 2021, PropNex forecasts that HDB resale prices could rise by 4 per cent to 5 per cent, barring any unforeseen events. HDB on Thursday also announced the launch of 8,700 Build-to-Order (BTO) flats. Of these, 3,800 will be offered for sale in May. These will be located in Bukit Merah, Geylang, Tengah and Woodlands. In August, another 4,900 flats in Hougang, Jurong East, Kallang Whampoa, Queenstown and Tampines will be put up for sale. "Given the economic uncertainty due to Covid-19, HDB is monitoring the housing market closely and will calibrate the supply if required," it said. More information on the BTO flats is available on the HDB InfoWEB. HDB added that there are flats available for open booking. Eligible flat buyers can apply on the HDB InfoWEB and book a unit. Booking will be done on a first come, first served basis. More on this topic Related Story S'pore private home prices jump 2.9% in Q1, stoking cooling measures talk Related Story Singapore's million-dollar HDB flats: Where are the 6 most expensive units ever sold located?
SINGAPORE - Some 27,000 employers hired an average of two locals each between September and November last year, with support from the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI). This is higher than the median of one local hire by the same employers in the same period in 2019, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo during the 20th edition of her jobs situation report on Wednesday (March 31). In all, the JGI supported the hiring of about 130,000 locals between September and November last year, in the first three months of the scheme, said Mrs Teo during a visit to local company Pacific Logistics Group. Nearly all, or 99 per cent, of the employers were small and medium-sized enterprises. About six in 10 of them hired one to two local workers each. The remaining four hired more. The $1 billion wage subsidy scheme was launched last August to spur the hiring of locals. Eligible employers receive up to 12 months of wage support of 25 per cent for each local hire. Last month, the Government announced a seven-month extension of the scheme until September this year, with an additional $5.2 billion allocated. The JGI was also enhanced from March 1 for employers who hire mature workers, people with disabilities and former offenders. They will receive up to 50 per cent in wage support per hire for up to 18 months. The latest Ministry of Manpower figures showed that the scheme supported hiring across sectors. Nearly four in 10 hires were in growth sectors such as wholesale trade, professional services, as well as information and communications. One in five hires were in food services and retail sectors. About half of all hires were not employed at the point of hire, and more than a quarter had been out of work for more than six months. Six in 10 of all hires were previously employed in a different sector, and the same proportion earned the same or higher wages compared with their previous jobs. Nearly half of the overall hires were mature workers aged 40 and above, while one-third were 50 and above. However, the pace of hiring supported by the JGI has been slowing. In the first two months of the scheme, more than 110,000 locals were hired by 26,000 firms. Manpower Minister Josephine Teo during a visit to Pacific Logistics Group in Tuas on March 31, 2021. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID More on this topic Related Story 150,000 S'pore employers to get $3b in Jobs Support Scheme payouts from end-March Related Story No drop in pay for over 60% hired under jobs incentive scheme Mrs Teo said she had expected a higher take-up rate of the scheme in the first two months of its implementation, as many businesses were backfilling job positions that were lost due to the pandemic. Matching job seekers to jobs based on their existing skills was also likely easier for employers, as there was a larger pool of job seekers in the initial months of the JGI, she added. "In the months ahead, if there is sufficient hiring momentum, I think it will require more effort in terms of jobs and skills matching," said Mrs Teo. Unemployment rates have been gradually declining since the last quarter of last year, from 4.8 per cent among Singaporeans and permanent residents last October to 4.3 per cent in January. Overall unemployment rate fell from 3.6 per cent to 3.2 per cent in the same period. On Wednesday, Mrs Teo urged employers to be open-minded towards job seekers from diverse backgrounds. Employers who hire seniors aged 60 and above can get additional support on top of the JGI, through the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant and the Part-Time Re-employment Grant. Those who need help to reskill new hires can tap Workforce Singapore's (WSG) career conversion programmes, which provide support of up to 90 per cent of wage and training costs. Local job seekers who need help with their job search can also approach WSG and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute. More on this topic Related Story S'pore employers adopting wait-and-see approach on hiring, say observers Related Story S'pore's employment level saw sharpest decline in two decades in 2020
SINGAPORE - Pandemic lockdown measures helped motor insurers return to profitability last year, as traffic accident numbers fell. In a statement on Thursday (March 18), the General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) said the motor insurance segment posted a 0.7 per cent increase in gross written premiums to $1.13 billion, and an underwriting profit of $104.5 million for 2020. This compared with 2019's $1.12 billion gross written premiums and an overall underwriting loss of $17.4 million. But the association warned that accident numbers are on the rise again as economic activity returns with the easing of Covid-19 measures. "Based on latest statistics, the number of accident reports made monthly are back to more than 80 per cent of December 2019 levels," it noted. If this prevails, motor insurers could return to the state of being in the red this year if premiums remain unchanged, and efforts to curtail excessive and fraudulent claims are not stepped up. "GIA will continue to support efforts to promote road safety and facilitate a more seamless accident reporting process to protect motorists," the association added. Motor insurance remained the largest segment in the industry with around 28 per cent of total gross premiums, followed by health with 17 per cent, property with 15 per cent, employers' liability with 9 per cent and marine with 5 per cent. On the whole, the general insurance industry recorded flat growth for 2020, with a marginal 0.2 per cent decrease in gross written premiums to $4.09 billion. But the sector recorded an underwriting profit of $237.3 million, from a loss of $28 million in 2019. This indicates that claims have decreased. For instance, travel insurance saw gross premiums plunge by 72.8 per cent, but the sector recorded an underwriting profit of $5.2 million. And while personal accident insurance posted a 5 per cent decrease in premiums, it recorded an underwriting profit of $28.1 million. The suspension of various workplace activities in the first half of 2020 also saw a decline in workplace injuries, resulting in fewer claims. However, with workers returning to work sites, injuries are on the rise again. More on this topic Related Story Insurance premiums rising for S'pore businesses on Covid-19 risk aversion Related Story Cycling injuries up in Singapore as more people get on bicycles during Covid-19 pandemic
SINGAPORE - The number of workers employed fell last year in the sharpest decline seen in Singapore in more than two decades, with foreigners bearing the brunt of the contraction, but the labour market is turning the corner. The latest labour market data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Tuesday (March 16) showed that non-residents accounted for all of the employment decline in 2020. Meanwhile, resident employment, which includes Singaporeans and permanent residents, rebounded to slightly above pre-Covid-19 levels by the end of the year. Unemployment rates also began to fall after hitting a high of 3.5 per cent for the year in September for the overall population, 4.9 per cent for citizens and 4.8 per cent for residents. By December, the unemployment rates fell to 3.3 per cent overall, 4.5 per cent for citizens and 4.4 per cent for residents. These latest figures show that the economy and the labour market have been on the mend since the fourth quarter of last year, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo after a visit to Giant Hypermarket in Tampines. “But I think it is wise for us to keep in mind that the risk factors do remain,” she added. These risk factors include international borders remaining largely closed, which will weigh on Singapore’s trade-dependent economy, and wage subsidy schemes such as the Jobs Support Scheme coming to an end. She noted that the Jobs Support Scheme will be replaced by the Jobs Growth Incentive, but added: “Nonetheless, we have to watch what happens to the job market as these schemes transit from one to the other”. The third risk factor is that as the labour market and the economy improves, job seekers may “ironically” become more selective about accepting employment offers, said Mrs Teo. Unemployment rates rose Last year, resident employment trends were mixed across different sectors, said MOM. Resident employment grew in the sectors of public administration and education, health and social services, information and communications, financial and insurance services, and professional services. But it declined most steeply in tourism and aviation-related sectors, which were severely affected by travel restrictions. Meanwhile, non-resident employment declined in all sectors, with the bulk in construction and manufacturing. The decline was mainly due to a fall in work permit and other work pass holders (minus 181,500), followed by decreases in S Pass holders (minus 26,000) and Employment Pass holders (minus 16,700). On the unemployment front, the overall rate rose from 2.3 per cent in 2019 to 3 per cent in 2020, but did not exceed that of past recessionary levels in 2003 during the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak or the global financial crisis in 2009. Among residents, the unemployment rate rose from 3.1 per cent in 2019 to 4.1 per cent in 2020. Among citizens, it increased from 3.3 per cent in 2019 to 4.2 per cent in 2020. Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said it is wise to keep in mind that risk factors do remain, even though the economy and the labour market have been on the mend since the fourth quarter of last year. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Retrenchments last year also doubled, from 10,690 in 2019 to 26,110 in 2020. Workers were less likely to be retrenched, however, with a lower incidence of retrenchment last year compared with past recessionary years. Of those retrenched, non-residents were more likely to lose their jobs than residents, said MOM. In terms of occupation, clerical, sales and service workers were most prone to retrenchment, as these jobs were commonly found in industries that were harder hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, such as retail and food services. Older residents in their 50s and younger workers aged below 30 were also more likely to be retrenched compared with those in other age groups. Many of the younger workers were in clerical, sales and service roles. Women were also more likely to be retrenched last year, compared with men. MOM said this was due to a higher proportion of women in the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors, as well as retail trade - industries harder hit by Covid-19 measures. Manpower Minister Josephine Teo (centre) with employees and trainees at Giant Hypermarket in Tampines on March 16, 2021. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH More on this topic Related Story Resident employment rebounds to above pre-Covid-19 level: Josephine Teo Related Story Support for hiring of 200,000 locals this year under Jobs Growth Incentive Longer time to find work Retrenched resident workers took a longer time to find jobs last year, with 62 per cent becoming employed within six months of their retrenchment compared with 64 per cent in 2019. During the global financial crisis in 2009, the re-entry rate was 65 per cent. The decline in re-entry rate was seen across all occupational and educational groups, as well as most age groups, said MOM. Only residents in their 50s saw a slightly higher re-entry rate from a year ago. The majority of residents, or 67 per cent, who managed to re-enter employment were able to switch industries, with a higher proportion taking up jobs in administrative and support services. This suggests that many took up temporary roles, said MOM. When retrenched, those who previously worked in professional services, construction and real estate services were most likely to switch industries. In the fourth quarter of 2020, job vacancies rose for the second consecutive quarter to reach 56,500 openings in December. Sectors with more vacancies included professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) roles in public administration and education, information and communications, and health and social services, as well as non-PMET roles in manufacturing and construction. More on this topic Related Story Over 10,000 employers had help from Workforce S'pore last year Related Story Nearly 76,000 find placements under SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package
SINGAPORE - The healthcare subsidy system is being revamped to ensure that those who need financial help the most get more of it. This comes with the rising consumption of healthcare services as the population ages, and Singapore looking to strengthen its healthcare system. The Government's share of healthcare spending has been going up - from 40 per cent in 2013 to 46 per cent in 2018. And it will continue to rise. To ensure that people at the lowest income levels get the help that they need to improve their health outcomes, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will channel more money to them. To achieve this, it will do a major revamp of the public sector subsidy structure by the middle of next year that will affect inpatient and outpatient subsidies. There will be changes to the subsidies in acute and community hospitals, specialist outpatient clinics and for day surgery. Speaking at the debate on his ministry's expenditure, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "We have to be prudent in how we allocate limited resources to ensure that the support we provide is more targeted to benefit those with greater need." There will be just one subsidy range for the two subsidised ward classes - B2 and C - that will go from 50 per cent to 80 per cent. The change will mean higher subsidies for lower income patients who opt for B2 class, and lower subsidies for higher income patients in C class. Subsidies for day surgery will follow the same format. The lowest quintile already gets the lion's share of subsidies - $1.6 billion, or 37 per cent, in 2018. Changes to the subsidy system will further tilt the financial help in their favour. Hospital subsidies will change from being based on an individual's income to per capita household income to reflect the number of people dependent on that person's income. More on this topic Related Story Healthcare subsidies to be revamped so those who need them will get more Related Story Insurers in Singapore moving away from covering hospital bills fully Second Minister for Health Masagos Zulkifli outlined how healthcare will be transformed "to become a proactive and inclusive care system" by addressing health needs across a person's life. To help the young "start well and achieve their fullest potential", the ministry will develop a child and maternal health and well-being strategy that will span pre-conception to 18 years of age. At the other end of the spectrum, $180 million has been set aside to roll out more than 200 eldercare centres that will have active ageing programmes, befriending and care services. Apart from the infrastructure that is being rolled out, attention has also been focused on healthcare professionals. Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon said that healthcare professionals "are key in improving patient care and outcomes". They have played an important role in the fight against Covid-19, with many suspending their annual leave because of the high call for manpower, he said. "We are cognisant that salaries play a key role in the attraction and retention of staff," Dr Koh said as he announced that nurses in the public sector will get a 5 per cent to 14 per cent pay rise over the next two years. More on this topic Related Story Insurers in Singapore moving away from covering hospital bills fully Related Story 5 factors that affect hospital claims After more than a year combating Covid-19, Singapore will also improve its preparedness for future health crises. Spelling this out, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Health, said: "We will enhance our surveillance and response capabilities by leveraging new technologies to enable us to more effectively consolidate, analyse and generate insights from large amounts of data." Aside from clinical teams, he said there is also a need for other experts such as epidemiologists, data scientists and statisticians. Research and development capabilities will be strengthened to "prevent, prepare for and respond to future public health crises", he added.
Celtic boss quits with Rangers cruising to title LONDON • Celtic manager Neil Lennon has stepped down following a dismal campaign that has left them 18 points behind leaders Rangers, the Scottish Premiership club said yesterday. The 49-year-old's last game in charge was a 1-0 defeat by lowly Ross County on Sunday, which left Celtic's hopes of a 10th straight league title hanging by a thread. Arch-rivals Rangers, who are managed by Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, need just seven points from their last eight games to secure their first Scottish league title since 2010-11. REUTERS Australia, Qatar to skip Copa over schedule clash BUENOS AIRES • Australia and Qatar have pulled out of this year's Copa America, South American football's governing body Conmebol said on Tuesday. Deputy general secretary Gonzalo Belloso confirmed that the two members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), who had been invited, could not participate due to a clash with World Cup qualifying dates. The Copa starts on June 11 but the AFC has scheduled qualification matches on that date and on June 15. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Most Japanese para athletes not hot on Games TOKYO • A majority of Japanese Paralympic sporting groups are worried about holding the Tokyo Paralympics this summer due to concerns it might help spread the coronavirus and worries about adequate preventive measures. Eighty-eight per cent of the 26 sporting organisations surveyed by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said they were "worried" about the Games - a rise from 77 per cent last August. A similar opinion poll by NHK broadcaster found 66 per cent of the groups similarly concerned. REUTERS Easy for Collins against off-form No. 1 Barty ADELAIDE • Unseeded American Danielle Collins sent an out-of-sorts Ashleigh Barty crashing out of the Adelaide International in the second round yesterday. The 27-year-old seized on some poor serving from the Australian top-ranked tennis player to claim a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win in just 65 minutes. It was the world No. 37's first victory over Barty in three encounters and also her maiden one against a current world No. 1. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
SINGAPORE - Employers in the food, retail, arts, and construction sectors welcomed the Government's plans to extend wage support for them until June, but many feel it is not enough. Safe management measures and a labour crunch caused by border restrictions mean they will continue to feel the pinch. Hanging on Mr Ivan Heng, the founder and artistic director of home-grown theatre company Wild Rice, said the 10 per cent wage subsidy "does not reflect the dire reality of the situation". The arts scene in Singapore has been battered by the pandemic. Theatre groups, for instance, are still reeling from the closure of theatres for several months last year. Although theatres are now open, shows are still being staged at a loss because safe distancing measures mean that even a sold-out run will have only a fraction of the seats filled. Wild Rice @ Funan, for instance, has been running at less than 25 per cent capacity. "This has a huge impact on ticket revenue. There's also a fatigue for digital offerings. So companies have hardly any means of earning any income," Mr Heng said. He added that in theatres and concert halls, the authorities could consider relaxing safe distancing restrictions. "Compared to the crowds on public transport, malls, markets, restaurants and not forgetting cinemas, do theatres pose such a danger to public?" He said: "Jobs and livelihoods are at stake... If the situation persists, the industry will not recover." Over at the construction industry, firms are resuming Covid-delayed projects but face challenges such as manpower and cash flow issues, supply chain disruptions, as well as rising material and manpower costs. The industry relies heavily on foreign workers, who do not qualify for the JSS. HSL Group's chief executive Charles Quek said while he is glad wage support for local employees would be extended at 10 per cent, till June, he had hoped for more foreign worker levy rebates, which had been given out previously. "The wages for workers - whether it's foreign workers, S pass workers or even local workers - are going up, because of lack of manpower in the industry. Material prices have also shot up, and dormitory and other associated costs have gone up too because of the safe management measures." HSL Group has 17 subsidiaries in South-east Asia, including eight in Singapore. The construction industry relies heavily on foreign workers, who do not qualify for the JSS. PHOTO: ST FILE He noted that productivity of his group is down by at least 20 per cent owing to the manpower shortage and safe management measures, and added that he has also raised workers' wages by 10 to 15 per cent in a bid to retain them. Mr Quek said the group will likely reduce its exposure to long-term, big projects that run into the hundreds of millions. "I think those will be very risky. With an expected continued manpower crunch, I think costs will get higher. There's also the risk of a second wave (of infections). I don't know how many companies would be able to withstand another shock like that." Meanwhile, the Singapore Retailers Association's president R. Dhinakaran said many retailers had hoped for at least 25 per cent wage support, since overheads such as rent in many cases remain the same but sales are still down. Many firms are "aggressively marking down" their goods to get more cash flow to meet these overheads, and this is not sustainable. More on this topic Related Story What is the Jobs Support Scheme? Related Story Some firms fear they won't survive without Jobs Support Scheme, others pin hopes on taking new directions Recovering Food and beverage operators had hoped the JSS would last till the vaccination of Singapore's population was complete, the Restaurant Association of Singapore said. A spokesman noted that sales across the industry are still 50 to 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels, adding that safe management measures had effectively cut seating capacity by 30 to 40 per cent. But the latest wage support would "no doubt help the forward-looking F&B brands who have pivoted their business model to the new normal", such as those that stepped up on online marketing and deliveries, or introduced virtual brands and ready-to-cook products. News of the wage support was a "pleasant surprise" to Foodtech F&B Ventures' chief executive Serene Ang, whose company runs four restaurants and over a dozen kiosks across the island. The cost savings from earlier tranches of wage support had helped the firm to hire more locals and train existing staff. PHOTO: ST FILE She said the cost savings from earlier tranches of wage support had helped the firm to hire more locals and train existing staff. It also increased staff wages. She said: "The whole industry is very thirsty for staff, since foreigners can't come in as freely as before. "A part-time ground service crew member working 36 to 40 hours a week used to be paid $1,500 a month, but I'm now paying up to $1,800 just to keep them there. The Malaysian workers stuck here are in greater demand than ever." Ms Ang is cautious about expanding and said she will think twice about renewing some outlets' leases, especially if the company can secure cheaper rent elsewhere. RAS' spokesman said the shortage of suitable manpower in F&B is a "major constraint that needs to be further addressed". "We hope the Government will continue to monitor and make adjustments to relevant policies if the situation does not improve in spite of higher wages and enhanced working conditions." More on this topic Related Story Wage support helps manufacturing, security, biomed sectors recover Related Story What will happen to some firms when wage subsidies under Jobs Support Scheme end
Lightning can strike the same place twice for scam victims - a survey has found that they can easily fall prey to scams again after being a victim once. Forty-five per cent of scam victims said they had been scammed more than once between August 2019 and last September, a survey by the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre (HTBSC) revealed yesterday. The online survey, conducted between last August and September, polled 4,043 people comprising Singapore citizens and permanent residents. They answered questions on their scam experiences, online practices and perception of scam prevention initiatives, among other things. Six in 10 respondents said they had encountered scams in Singapore an average of 3.17 times a month. Seven per cent of respondents said they had fallen prey to scams in the one-year period. Of these, nearly half were aged between 20 and 39. Ms Whistine Chai, assistant director of the crime, investigation and forensic psychology branch at HTBSC, said: "Young people are more tech savvy and they spend a lot of time online... They might engage in activities, such as online banking or going through social media, that increase their exposure to scammers. "We also found that young people are likely to be more impulsive and complacent. They (tend) not to stop and think, or check with others before acting." In its annual crime briefing last week, the Singapore Police Force said the record number of scams reported last year pushed the overall crime rate to its highest since 2009. There were 15,756 reported scams last year, a 65.1 per cent increase from the 9,545 cases in 2019. They made up 42.1 per cent of overall crime last year, up from 27.2 per cent in 2019. The survey found that the majority of scam victims have poor cyber hygiene practices, as they tend to click on pop-up advertisements on websites, or open e-mails from unknown sources. Even though over 80 per cent of victims had seen anti-scam public campaigns before, many of them still had a poor understanding of what safe online practices entail. For instance, 49 per cent of scam victims wrongly believed that the authorities will verify their information by sending them SMS or e-mails with links to click on. Thirty-seven per cent of victims had the false belief that it is common practice to share passwords or OTPs (one-time passwords). Scam victims were also found to lack "protective factors" such as knowledge of scam tactics, financial literacy and social support from friends and family.
SINGAPORE - Online shopping may have had an impact on Housing Board (HDB) shops. Close to 50 per cent of those who bought items online reported they had shopped less at HDB shops in the latest HDB Sample Household Survey which is conducted once every five years. The latest survey, done in 2018, also showed that HDB residents also generally interacted slightly less with their neighbours, though the proportion who communicated with their neighbours on online chat groups or social media more than doubled from 2013. The survey results, released on Sunday (Feb 14), said that about four in 10 HDB residents had made online purchases through websites and mobile applications during the year, with a higher proportion of online shoppers living in four-room or bigger flat types. The majority of online shoppers were also aged 45 years and below, and likely to be from families with young children. Clothing and footwear were the top items purchased online, followed by phones and electronic products. Commenting on the survey results, Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore Business School said that the question of HDB shops' survival amid the rise of e-commerce was a chicken-and-egg problem. "The younger people will not turn to HDB shops unless they are upgraded and made upmarket. Yet these shops will not move upwards unless there is a market... If we want to preserve the HDB shops, if we value the social contribution of these shops, we will need an impetus from the HDB or other authorities," he said. In a press release, the HDB said that heartland shops continued to play an important role in serving the needs of residents, notwithstanding the trend towards online shopping. It said it would continue to support neighbourhood shops to boost their vibrancy and competitiveness through various schemes. The HDB survey polled about 7,800 HDB households. The HDB said the surveys provided valuable feedback to enhance the design of flats, neighbourhoods and HDB estates. "Going forward, HDB will continue to keep pace with residents' evolving needs, and lifestyles. We are also studying how HDB flat designs can support developments in the future of work, including trends that may have been accelerated by the current pandemic, such as telecommuting," said a HDB spokesman. INTERACTIONS WITH NEIGHBOURS The latest survey showed the proportion of those who exchanged greetings with their neighbours dropped from 98.6 per cent in 2013 to 97 per cent, while the figure for who indulged in casual conversations dipped from 97 per cent to 94.4 per cent. Instead, more interacted online. Close to 12 per cent said they communicated with neighbours on chat groups or on social media, compared to 4.8 per cent in 2013. Participation rates in organised community activities also dropped over the past five years, with about 39 per cent saying they did so in 2018, compared to 48.6 per cent in 2013. When asked about where they interacted with their neighbours, more than four in five respondents said they did so within the block. This was up from about 76 per cent in 2013. The rest said they did so within their neighbourhoods, precincts, or towns in places like hawker centres, parks or bus stops. The proportion of residents who said they faced nuisances from neighbours also dropped, with 30 per cent of households saying they did so in 2018, compared to 48.1 per cent in 2013. The main types of nuisances were noise from neighbours, littering and smoking at common areas. Sociologist Paulin Straughan of the Singapore Management University said more creative approaches were needed to encourage residents to interact socially, such as by getting them involved in organising activities, and by finding out the likes and dislikes of residents within each neighbourhood, which would vary depending on demographics. "We need to move away from the idea that residents are just passive consumers of social activities... These activities should be ground-up initiatives, which will encourage active engagement," she said. VIEWS ON ESTATE More than nine in ten in the survey said they were satisfied with their flat, neighbourhood and estate facilities. Elderly households had the highest levels of satisfaction with their flats when compared to those in younger age groups, with close to 97 per cent of elderly households saying they were satisfied compared to about 90 per cent of those aged below 35. Households who were dissatisfied with their flats faced issues such as spalling concrete and ceiling leaks which occur in older flats, said HDB. It added that it would continue to help flat owners address maintenance issues related to older flats. The frequency of residents' usage of commercial facilities such as wet markets, coffee shops and hawker centres dropped. There was a slight increase in the proportion of residents who went to the supermarket at least once a week, from 80 per cent in 2013 to 81.4 per cent in 2018. More than eight in 10 of employed residents said they were satisfied with the time taken to travel to work, and almost all residents said they had a sense of belonging to their towns and estates. About a quarter of residents said they had fond memories of places within their towns. About half in this group associated those memories to HDB blocks, precinct facilities like void decks and playgrounds, as well as parks and gardens.
Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Feb 8. Himalayan glacier bursts in India; 10 dead, at least 125 missing Footage shared by locals showed the water washing away parts of the dam and whatever else was in its path. READ MORE HERE Mass protests against Myanmar military coup nationwide; Internet access partially restored Analysts warned that the risk of a crackdown remained high. READ MORE HERE Daily Covid-19 testing capacity in Singapore to be ramped up This will enable it to carry out more than 21,000 tests daily in dormitories and regional screening centres. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Public service to look at hiring more talent from private sector It will send more officers on external attachments, as part of efforts to become more agile and diverse. READ MORE HERE Malaysia revises Covid-19 rules to allow more to gather for CNY reunion dinner A maximum of 15 are now allowed, but they must live within a 10km radius of the dinner venue. READ MORE HERE Culturally tight societies like S'pore fare better in Covid-19 fight: Study The study also found that countries with cultural looseness had almost nine times the number of deaths. READ MORE HERE First case of likely Covid-19 reinfection in S’pore: Experts say immunity wanes with time The presence of antibodies does not guarantee that the body will fight off infection as well. READ MORE HERE Most kids aged 7 to 9 use smartphones daily, many are on Facebook: Survey This spurs concerns, including about who these lower-primary school children meet online. READ MORE HERE Employers not considering pay adjustments despite remote working trend: Survey Only 32% of employees globally are expected to return to the office after the pandemic. READ MORE HERE Most Singaporeans willing to pay more to firms that improve migrant worker welfare: Study A majority are willing to pay between 5 per cent and 10 per cent more. READ MORE HERE
Abalone prices have dropped by 5 per cent to 30 per cent during this Chinese New Year period, said wholesalers. They told The Sunday Times this was due to Singaporeans' low spending power during the coronavirus pandemic as well as an oversupply of stock in China. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
SINGAPORE - Paramedics received fewer calls for emergency medical services last year - the first overall drop in numbers since 2000. The decline can be attributed to the "sharp decrease" in non-emergency and false alarm calls, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) annual report on Friday (Feb 5). It added that fewer traffic and workplace accidents during and after the circuit breaker also contributed to the drop in calls. The SCDF responded to 190,882 calls for emergency medical services last year, or about 520 calls a day - a 0.3 per cent drop from 2019. These included 175,953 that were emergencies - up 1.2 per cent from 2019 and the lowest increase in 20 years. Around 80 per cent of the emergencies were medical-related, such as heart attacks. Trauma cases from industrial accidents, falls and assaults made up 16 per cent of the calls while the remaining 4.5 per cent were related to road accidents. Emergency calls involving those aged 65 and above remained the highest proportion among all age categories last year at around 43 per cent. The number of non-emergency calls decreased by 16.1 per cent to 8,835 last year, while false alarms calls also dropped - down 14.1 per cent to 6,094 last year. These were due in part to more people staying at home amid the pandemic and SCDF efforts to inform the public not to call "995" for non-emergencies. The SCDF also conveyed about 2,000 Covid-19 positive cases to hospital and around 8,300 suspect cases, of which 60 or so were later diagnosed as Covid-19 positive. There were 1,877 fire calls last year, 34.4 per cent down from 2019. "This was largely due to the significant decrease in vegetation fires (last year) due to shorter periods of dry weather," the SCDF said. More on this topic Related Story SCDF faces more anxious calls amid evolving coronavirus situation Related Story SCDF saves resources with new system to manage 995 hotline calls Incidents in non-building premises, such as vegetation and vehicle fires, dropped by around 63 per cent to 437 last year. The number of fires involving personal mobility devices (PMDs) decreased by about 59 per cent from 2019, but those involving power-assisted bicycles (PABs) doubled to 26. It added that around 67 per cent of the fires involving PMDs and PABs occurred in residential premises. "Members of the public who own PABs and PMDs should continue to be vigilant when handling their devices as these fires can result in casualties and serious damage to property," the SCDF said. More on this topic Related Story Most 999 calls are nuisance calls, but some are coded messages Visual guides for 995 callers Some callers for emergency medical services will receive visual guides from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) from March 1. These will be in the form of moving images that play over and over again to assist callers to render immediate aid to the victim at the scene. They will be sent through a link via SMS to 995 callers for the following cases: - choking in adults and infants; - performing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and - using an automated external defibrillator (AED). The SCDF said the guides will augment the pre-arrival instructions given by its Operations Centre specialists over the phone. These instructions guide 995 callers on the step-by-step process of performing CPR, using the AED or performing the Heimlich Manoeuvre on choking victims. The SCDF hopes that the guides will give 995 callers an added boost of confidence when they are rendering assistance to a victim. "The SCDF would like to encourage members of the public to learn life-saving skills like CPR and AED, as well as sign up as Community First Responders by downloading the myResponder mobile application, so that they can be rapidly activated to save someone nearby who may need help," it added.
SINGAPORE - More than 40 per cent of people around the world have cut back on public transport rides, with 8.5 per cent staying away completely since the Covid-19 pandemic started nearly a year ago. In a survey done last month, Israeli mobility app provider Moovit found that of those who still needed to get around, 4.6 per cent have switched to other modes of transport. The firm found that the frequency of public transport usage did not change for 38 per cent of people. Another 7.6 per cent of respondents said their bus and train usage had actually gone up since the pandemic started. Moovit said it polled "tens of thousands" of respondents in more than 100 cities across 28 countries; and pointed out that "at the lowest point in 2020, many cities around the world experienced more than an 80 per cent drop in public transportation ridership". For Singapore, the December survey revealed the aversion to public transport was less severe. More than half of respondents said their usage had not changed since the pandemic, with another 8.2 per cent saying their trips had actually risen. Less than 2 per cent of those polled said they were still staying away from buses and trains, while just over 30 per cent said they were using them less frequently. Only 1.4 per cent said they had switched to other modes of transport. This could be because this alternative is costly in relation to other parts of the world. Moovit also surveyed commuters on what it would take for them to return to using public transport. Of nearly a dozen measures, two had the highest votes. One, having real-time arrival information so that waiting at crowded bus-stops can be avoided. Two, increasing service frequency so vehicles can be less packed. In Singapore, these two measures were also the top picks. Surprisingly, 28.5 per cent in Singapore also said having contactless payment would also persuade them to go back to buses and trains. Singapore University of Social Sciences transport economist Walter Theseira said he found the survey results "hard to take seriously" with respect to contactless payment and real-time information - both of which are available in Singapore. But the point about increasing service frequency to reduce crowdedness "is interesting", he said, adding it is something commuters would like to have whether there is a pandemic or not. "The problem is system cost," he said. "Public transit's economies of scale only work with high system utilisation - the crowded buses basically pay for the empty buses. "The constraint on lowering crowdedness during peak hours is the staggering cost of building extra capacity that is only used for the peak of the peak." This goal can however be achieved if travel demand is spread out throughout the day, he added. More on this topic Related Story Drop in ridership leads to slower buses on Singapore roads Related Story Coronavirus: Bicycles are pushing aside cars on Europe's city streets But Moovit chief growth and marketing officer Yovav Meydad said some cities have done exactly that. These include the Italian cities of Milan, Naples and Rome. Prof Theseira pointed out that "most people have no problem being in crowded environments voluntarily once they perceive that the Covid-19 risk is manageable - the crowds at shopping malls are daily evidence of that". More on this topic Related Story Working from home to remain default arrangement to minimise Covid-19 risk: Tripartite partners Related Story Don't talk on the subway, say French doctors, to limit Covid-19 spread
LOS ANGELES • Paul George has come a long way since his rookie season 10 years ago. He was barely a threat from beyond the three-point line when he broke into the National Basketball Association (NBA), but he is now among the league leaders in long-distance shooting. The guard will try to keep his three-point accuracy trending upwards when his Los Angeles Clippers visit the Sacramento Kings today (Singapore time). George is shooting 51.6 per cent from beyond the three-point arc after making 5-for-9 in a 111-106 win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. He is 15-for-24 from long distance in his past three games. As a rookie with the Indiana Pacers in 2010-11, George shot just 29.7 per cent from three-point range. He never shot better than 41 per cent over a season until making 41.2 per cent of his three-pointers last season. "Just shooting it with confidence and really just knowing the shots I'm going to get," George said. "I know what to look for, I know what to expect, I know how the shots are coming." The shots have not been falling for Buddy Hield of the Kings. Hield, who has been among the team's top three scorers all four seasons in the league, had another off night on Wednesday in a 132-126 loss to the visiting Portland Trail Blazers. Hield, who has taken 75 per cent of his shots from three-point range this season, finished 9-for-21 from the floor against Portland, the 11th time in 12 games he failed to make at least half his field-goal attempts. "I'm not going to shoot terrible like this for the rest of the season," he said. "It's a long season. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon." Defending the three-point line has also been a soft spot for the Kings this season. Opponents are shooting 38.9 per cent from beyond the arc against Sacramento, the seventh worst in the NBA. The Trail Blazers tied a team record by making 23 against the Kings in 48 attempts. 51.6% Three-point shooting by Los Angeles Clippers' Paul George this season. The Clippers are leading the league in three-point accuracy at 42.9 per cent, but coach Tyronn Lue still sees plenty of areas to improve. A win against Sacramento would give Los Angeles their first three-game winning streak this term. "We've just got to make sure we're just taking advantage of every day, every game, every practice and trying to get better," Lue said. Sacramento will be playing the sixth game of a seven-game home spell. They have not taken advantage of the long stretch, winning just two of the five games so far. They have also failed to protect a few sizeable leads, most recently a 20-point cushion against Portland. "That's the NBA," Kings coach Luke Walton said. "The elite teams find ways to finish those off and that's what we're building toward(s). We're not there yet." REUTERS
LONDON • La Liga champions Real Madrid recorded overall income of €681.2 million (S$1.1 billion) in the 2019-20 season despite an 8 per cent drop in revenue, a study from auditing firm KPMG revealed on Sunday. The Spanish title holders' revenue was the highest among the teams who won domestic titles in Europe's six major leagues. German Bundesliga and European champions Bayern Munich recorded €607.2 million, followed by Premier League winners Liverpool (€557 million) and French Ligue 1's Paris Saint-Germain (€540.6 million). The study also included Italian Serie A's Juventus, whose revenue totalled €401.4 million, and Portuguese Primeira Liga victors Porto, who had the lowest revenue among the champions at €87.3 million. All six domestic champions suffered a decrease in operating revenue due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. "A crisis almost always provides the opportunity to highlight major failings in the business model and also to drive innovation and evolution," KPMG's global head of sports and the study's author, Andrea Sartori, said. "So it is encouraging to see football's governing bodies, associations and clubs discussing reforms regarding competitions calendar, cost control measures, alterations to the economics and governance of domestic and European competitions." With matches cancelled or played behind closed doors or in front of severely restricted numbers from last March, all European champions barring Porto suffered the biggest blow through loss of match-day income, with Real being the hardest hit with a loss of €34.9 million. Broadcasting income was also reduced for all six champions, with Champions League performances playing a role. Last season's finalists Bayern and PSG both registered a 4 per cent decrease in their TV income, while Porto suffered a 63 per cent drop, mainly due to their failure to qualify for the competition. However, commercial income increased for Liverpool (14 per cent), Bayern (4 per cent) and Real (2 per cent) - the only examples of revenue growth found in the study. REVENUE OF EUROPE'S SIX MAJOR LEAGUE CHAMPS 1. REAL MADRID (Esp) €681.2 million (S$1.1 billion) 2. BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) €607.2 million 3. LIVERPOOL (Eng) €557 million 4. PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (Fra) €540.6 million 5. JUVENTUS (Ita) €401.4 million 6. PORTO (Por) €87.3 million Only the Bavarian giants (€5.9 million) and Real (€300,000) registered net profits in the 2019-20 season, unlike the 2018-19 campaign when all champions recorded profits. PSG suffered the highest net loss at €125.8 million after Ligue 1 was the only top domestic European league, other than the Dutch Eredivisie and Belgium's Pro League, that ended its season in April amid the Covid-19 crisis. REUTERS