Rally against Jakarta governor
A rally planned for today is expected to draw tens of thousands of Muslim hardliners onto the streets of Jakarta in protest against Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian facing allegations of blasphemy. The protest has had the authorities on edge, with the police planning to deploy 18,000 officers across the Indonesian capital, as soldiers guard key landmarks and government buildings with armoured vehicles.
SIA briefing on half-year results
With a stagnant global economy and cut-throat competition propelling Singapore Airlines' plunge in profits, the premium carrier will be holding a briefing for journalists and analysts today on its half-year financial results for April to September. Separately, its budget siblings Scoot and Tigerair - which have managed to maintain an even keel amid the turbulence - will also be meeting the media to brief them on the latest in their integration efforts.
Interest-rate watchers on the alert
Economists and other interest-rate watchers will be keeping a close tab on US non-farm payroll data, scheduled to be released tonight. This is because inflation and the unemployment rate are key barometers used by the US Federal Reserve policy-setting committee in determining the next interest-rate hike. The unemployment rate for September stood at 5 per cent, close to a historically normal level for the United States.