Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Friday, April 15, and which we think you'd be interested in.
It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.
Book on Singapore's research and development hub to be launched today
A book that chronicles the establishment of a research and development hub in Singapore will be launched today. Titled The Singapore Research Story, the book describes how key research institutes here were set up as well as the roles played by various researchers, scientists and engineers.
North Korea to mark of Kim Il Sung's birthday
North Korea marks the anniversary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il Sung today.
The North lavishly celebrates Kim's birthday, often with massive military parades featuring its most impressive-looking weapons or with missile launches.
South Korean media yesterday reported that North Korea has been making preparations to launch mid-range ballistic missiles, possibly to mark the occasion.
Private home sales data out today
New private home sales in Singapore last month are expected to rebound smartly from the low of 301 units moved in February. Sales numbers for March should have picked up, say analysts, given the decent take-up seen at the launches of Cairnhill Nine and The Wisteria. February's sales were lower than the units sold in January and the 390 units that developers sold in the same month last year.
China to release first quarter GDP
China is scheduled to release its first-quarter GDP as well as consumption, investment and industrial output data today. Exports data released on Wednesday (April 13) showed a return to growth for the first time in nine months, providing an encouraging sign ahead of the release on gross domestic product. Many economic indicators improved in the first quarter, Premier Li Keqiang said in a recent meeting . The government aims for economic growth of 6.5 to 7 per cent this year. The economy grew 6.9 per cent in 2015, the weakest pace in a quarter of a century, while it grew 1.6 per cent last quarter.
