Morning Minutes: What will make headlines, March 30, 2016

A row of heartland retail shops in Toa Payoh Central. PHOTO: SAVILLS SINGAPORE

Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Wednesday, March 30, and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Tips for heartland business owners

Retailers in the heartlands are facing rising operating costs, stiffer competition from online outlets and shopping malls at regional transport hubs. As a result, their businesses have taken a toll.

The Singapore Heartland Enterprise Seminar 2016, to be held today (March 30), looks at these issues and challenges faced by heartland businesses. Themed "Make it happen, make it better", it will look at how heartland merchants have to change, adapt and adopt new ways to reach out to customers.

Tsai-Ma meeting on Taiwanese transition

Taiwanese President-elect Tsai Ing-wen greeting supporters at party headquarters in Taipei after her Jan 16 election victory. PHOTO: REUTERS

Taiwanese President-elect Tsai Ing-wen will hold a meeting today at the Taipei Guest House with incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou on issues of transition, as well as economic and foreign policies.

They will each deliver a three- to five-minute opening statement and respond to media inquiries before holding a closed-door meeting, the first between the two since Ms Tsai won the presidential election on Jan 16.

Japan to release key economic data

Shoppers walking past a shoe store in Tokyo. PHOTO: REUTERS

The Japanese economy will be the focus for traders today, with two key pieces of economic data likely to dominate trading in Asia.
Data on household spending, a key metric in the Japanese economy, will be released, shedding more light on consumer sentiment which has been weak despite measures taken by the government to boost confidence. At the same time, Japanese unemployment figures will also be released early.

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